Welcome to CONTACT 2010!

We meet on March 26-28 at NASA's Ames Research Center next spring. So I'm writing to invite you to join us for our 26th year celebration, Come to the party! Like last year we'll be back in Building 943, just outside the gate in the old Space Camp facility. Note to NASA Attendees, Friday is open to NASA personnel to attend without fee.

We're celebrating the inauguration of our second quarter century of CONTACT with a resurrection of our original focus on COTI. This should please many longtimers, who have been clamoring for a return for years, and delight some newcomers, who have not had the opportunity to participate in the event that precipitated the initial success of our conferences. So, for CONTACT 2010, we return to the thrilling days of yesteryear with COTI Classic. Teams will be recruited from our presenters and audience, by preliminary announcement and on-the-floor enlistment. Places on the teams are limited and likely to be filled quickly, so respond immediately to COTI coordinator Israel Zuckerman to reserve your spot.

COTI is an experiment in creation -- participants design an integrated world, alien life form and culture, and simulate contact with a future human society. It was designed by CONTACT originators, Jim Funaro and Joel Hagen, as a thought experiment for professional scientists, writers and artists. One team constructs a solar system, a world and its ecology, an alien life form and its culture, basing each step on the previous one and utilizing the principles of science as a guide to imagination. The other team designs a future human colony, planetary or spacefaring, "creating and evolving" its culture as an exercise in cultural structure, dynamics and adaptation. Through a structured system of progressive revelation, the teams then simulate -- and experience -- contact between the two cultures in real time, exploring the problems and possibilities involved in inter-cultural encounters. Contact between the teams will climax the conference on Sunday.

This also constitutes the final call for papers. There are still a few places left in the program, but we are going public with the schedule soon, so get your proposal to me NOW in order to be considered. Send paper or project title and abstract (about 50 words) and a short biographical statement (3-4 lines) to Jim Funaro. As usual, we will offer symposia on a wide range of topics, so shake out your new ideas to sunshine at CONTACT. We're planning to present our traditional blatantly diverse agenda.

Our program, as it evolves, will be updated here, on our website. You can also Register Here Now and find information about rooms. We urge you to make your room reservation NOW, as limited accommodations exist at the Lodge. Please join us at Silver Plus One CONTACT. Looking forward to working and playing together...

Conference Overview:

The annual CONTACT conference is an interdisciplinary gathering of scientists, artists and writers. For 26 years we have been exploring human futures in fact and fiction, using science as a guide to the imagination. As always, CONTACT's full program features a fascinating lineup of speakers and a broad spectrum of symposia and activities, including Planetary Mission updates, the arts and sciences, the return of some of our science fiction veterans, the Art Gallery, a film festival, a remote visit to a sea voyage, our anniversary party and more.

Each day, enjoy a continental breakfast in the conference center before the morning presentations and a lunch buffet at noon. Mornings and afternoons showcase our speakers and symposia in the Ames Conference Center. Our activities go on throughout the weekend.

Art Reception and Social Hour:

Friday night, enjoy our traditional reception for the opening of the art show. As always, our art show features work by our presenters, attendees and others. Good food and drink, first look at the exhibition, good conversation and a chance to get acquainted and exchange ideas.

Banquet and Keynote Presentation:

Saturday night, enjoy appetizers and conversation followed by our annual banquet.