Welcome to AboutSF
A Science Fiction Resource Center

AboutSF is a resource for SF writers, educators, and fans - we're here to help everyone learn more about speculative literature!

To get started, check out "What is science fiction?" on our parent site, the Ad Astra Institute for Science Fiction & the Speculative Imagination.

Our offerings include:

• Teaching and Research Resources - contains several master lists of educational, teaching, and other resources, including SF-friendly research libraries and educational programs, including locations of SF author's manuscripts. Hosted on our parent site, the Ad Astra Institute for Science Fiction & the Speculative Imagination.
   
• Speculative Fiction Resources for Writers - offers tons of information for SF writers. Hosted on our parent site, the Ad Astra Institute for Science Fiction & the Speculative Imagination.
   
• Syllabi for several SF courses - hosted on our parent site.

Much more coming soon, including: Lessons Library, which features sample syllabi, lesson plans, and reader's guides for science fiction courses in a variety of educational areas and levels (you'll find a few of these over on the Ad Astra site). And lots more! Meanwhile, be sure to check out the Ad Astra website, blogs, YouTube channel, and class offerings, all linked below. If you'd like to share your teaching resources with other educators, scholars, and autodidacts, contact us (AboutSF@gmail.com or AboutSF@aboutsf.org) and we'll get your materials online for others to use!

AboutSF coordinates volunteer efforts throughout the speculative fiction field. We're a joint nonprofit project of the Ad Astra Institute for Science Fiction & the Speculative Imagination, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and the Science Fiction Research Association, with generous support from Tor Books, The Heinlein Prize Trust, and several individual donors.

Our statement on diversity, inclusivity, and our commitment to equity.

News

We're back! After issues with former partner University of Kansas from 2019-2022, we're now secure under the non-profit Ad Astra Institute for Science Fiction & the Speculative Imagination. Same leadership, faculty, partners, affiliates, and volunteer base, but now completely focused on educational outreach with no departmental interference.

We've posted new film clips to our AboutSF YouTube channel - watch Forrest J. Ackerman discuss the history of science fiction films. Our channel has lots of great interview and lecture clips - check it out!

We've built an extensive set of SF and SF-related videos and playlists on the Ad Astra YouTube channel (our parent organization's channel).

History

AboutSF was founded by authors and educators David Brin, James Gunn, and Chris McKitterick in 2004 as an umbrella for their educational-outreach efforts, along with several other individuals and organizations, including Jim's original Center for the Study of Science Fiction and the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. McKitterick first proposed the organization in a January 1996 Analog Science Fiction magazine article, the source of its original mission statement (and Gunn's signature line) "Save the world through science fiction!" This article led to collaboration with Brin, SFWA, and other organizations, formed the "SFWA Jr." membership program, and more before AboutSF was finally established.

Since 2021, AboutSF and its leadership, faculty, and resources have resided under a new home organization, the 501(c)3 nonprofit Ad Astra Institute for Science Fiction & the Speculative Imagination, also in Lawrence, under the direction of its original staff.

In addition to regular staff, student employees served as AboutSF Educational Outreach Coordinators from our inception through the end of operations at KU:

• 2005-2007, our first student Coordinator was Thomas Seay, who built the first iteration of AboutSF (used .org / .net / .com URLs) and co-authored our original online SF literature courses with James Gunn and Chris McKitterick.
• 2007-2010, Nathaniel Williams held the position and co-authored our original "Science Fiction Roadshow" educational program for educators with James Gunn and Chris McKitterick.
• 2010 spring, Samantha Simmons.
• 2010, Kristen Lillvis.
• 2011-2012, Benjamin Cartwright.
• 2012-2013, Isaac Bell.
• 2013-2014, Meagan Kane and Mackenzie VanBeest.
• 2014-2015, Christina Lord.
• 2015-2021, Jason Baltazar.

Jason Baltazar served as our final student employee through Jim's original SF Center before it was absorbed into a KU department, after which AboutSF found a new home under the Ad Astra Institute along with the rest of our educational-outreach program. After Thomas Seay, our second student web developer/designer (2011-2012) was Patrick Flor, though every Educational Outreach Coordinator creates and edits content for our online presence.

The AboutSF Coordinator works to organize our educational outreach programs and helps develop teaching and other materials. Duties include reaching out to educators, developing coursework and teaching materials, recruiting volunteers, presenting workshops on using science fiction in the classroom to schools and libraries, presenting panels on SF education at conventions, and updating and enhancing the AboutSF and Ad Astra websites and our social-media presence. 

Formal operations were put on hold during the Covid-19 pandemic and during disruptions at KU until the Ad Astra Institute was founded to continue and grow our eductional-outreach mission. The current director, web developer, and coordinator is Chris McKitterick (cmckit@aboutsf.org), along with a large group of volunteers and affiliates.

Connect with AboutSF