When pop culture fans gather in Anaheim this weekend for the annual WonderCon convention, they’ll be learning from two San Diego State University faculty members whose classes focus on a variety of topics ranging from video games to Chicana feminism.
For Sara Roldan and Brenda Lara, WonderCon is an opportunity to impart their passion for pop culture to a new audience.
The two professors are participating in a Saturday evening panel titled “Welcome to Starfleet Academy,” which will examine the new television show, “Starfleet Academy” and how it portrays the challenges educators face in teaching and inspiring new generations of students.
View this post on InstagramThe topic is familiar to Lara, who is a big “Star Trek” fan and has written about its world.
“What you’re going to see is like, if actual professors were in the ‘Star Trek’ Universe, how would we react, what will we teach,” said Lara, who is participating in her first WonderCon panel.
Lara is in her first year at SDSU and is teaching Chicano literature, using elements of pop culture, like graphic novels, in her work.
Roldan is a pop culture convention vet, having participated in over a dozen panels over the years. She teaches the philosophy of video games and a second class on the psychology of Chicano culture, using comics and pop culture in her lessons.
“My goal is to connect my students with somebody that looks like them and talks like them,” she said.
Roldan has watched “Star Trek” since childhood and praises the shows for connecting people.
“It’s about finding your family, finding a new meaning of the term family,” she said.
As they prepared for the panel this weekend, Roldan and Lara learned of media reports that “Starfleet Academy,” which just aired its first season, is being canceled after its upcoming second season.
“I think that diving into fantasy, diving into science fiction, the imaginary really helps us process everything that we go through in our life, different structures of power, identities that we are trying to navigate,” said Lara. “And I think it’s important to continue to have shows like this.”
Despite the cancellation news, Roldan said pop culture will always be popular with fans.
“Believe it or not,” she said, “comics, video games and fandom is the best therapy, the most inclusive and the best way to make friends. Everybody likes something.”
WonderCon runs Friday through Sunday at the Anaheim Convention Center. It is organized by its parent organization, the popular Comic-Con International, which is held every summer in San Diego. For more information, visit WonderCon online.
Inset: Sara Roldan of SDSU at San Diego Comic Con. (Photo courtesy of San Diego State University)
Hence then, the article about sdsu faculty head to wondercon for panel linking star trek and education was published today ( ) and is available on Times of San Diego ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( SDSU faculty head to WonderCon for panel linking ‘Star Trek’ and education )
Also on site :