Starbase Indy Announces Guest Lineup of Actors, Scientists for Annual Convention in Indianapolis

Starbase Indy today announced the list of key guests set to appear at its annual convention Nov. 25-27, at the Indianapolis Marriott East. The 2022 convention theme, Imagine Anew, focuses on how humans turn new ideas into everyday reality. This year’s guests represent individuals and organizations who create stories about how the world might be different — filmmakers, actors, artists and writers — as well as scientists, engineers and researchers who seek to better understand the world we live in now.

The lineup includes a return by Bill Blair, well known in the Star Trek universe, having portrayed a Guinness World Record number of aliens, monsters and creatures in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise and Star Trek: New Voyages. Also returning is Mary Chieffo, known internationally as the Klingon Commander turned Chancellor L’Rell on the award-winning Paramount+ series Star Trek: Discovery.

Other key guests at this year’s convention include:

• Sandy Gimpel, who appeared in both the aired and unaired pilots of Star Trek: The Original Series as the deadly Salt Vampire and a Talosian kidnapper.
• Michele Specht, known as Dr. Elise McKennah in the multi-award-winning series Star Trek Continues and Loriss, Captain Sh’marois, and Krog in Star Trek Online.
• Aaron Waltke, an Emmy-winning, Annie-nominated executive producer and showrunner working as head writer and co-executive producer on Star Trek: Prodigy.

The convention guest list also boasts acclaimed Star Trek supporters such as:

• Jen Usellis, aka Lieutenant Commander jenbom vestai-toQqul, who brings Klingon pop and rock music to Terran ears.
• Paul Allor, award-winning writer and editor known for his work in Star Trek, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Captain America and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers comics.
• Dr. Robert Pyatt, Clinical Laboratory Director of a Labcorp facility and “stand up scientist.” Passionate about science education, Rob is the author of the popular “Weird Science” convention panels.
• Dr. Barrett Caldwell, director of the Indiana Space Grant Consortium, overseeing the NASA-funded program that focuses on STEM literacy, education and workforce development. He also is professor of Industrial Engineering and Aeronautics & Astronautics at Purdue University.
• Thomas Rathjen, who has spent his professional career working toward increasing our capability to explore the galaxy. He worked as a NASA executive, has consulted on commercial space development, and serves on Starbase Indy’s board of directors.
• Dr. Bill Sullivan, author of Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs, and the Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are, and award-winning professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, where he studies genetics and infectious disease. He has published more than 100 papers in scientific journals.
• Demetrius Witherspoon, writer, director and producer of the award-winning sci-fi Submerge Universe franchise. There are five “Submerge” films and an animated pilot.

The convention also will include a return of the popular Starship Bridge Simulator, a new “Secret Aboard Starship Astraeus” pop-up Escape Room (reservations and an additional charge required), and a silent auction supporting the mission of Starbase Indy. This year’s sponsors and partners include the Indiana Arts Council, Let’s Roam, Andromeda Consultants, and Arts Midwest GIG Fund, an Arts Midwest program funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.

“We’re so excited to be able to come together again this year,” said convention chairman David Mott of Fishers. Ind. “A great programming and speaker line up is planned and we’re ready to welcome to our city a growing number of Trekkies and other visitors from across the country.”

For more information regarding convention registration, hotel booking, discounted travel and COVID-19 policies, visit starbaseindy.org. Discounted student rates, weekend badges and single-day badges are available for purchase. Increased accessibility solutions are available from Scooter Rentals at indyscooterrental.com/event-rentals/

About Starbase Indy:

Starbase Indy opened its doors to the public in 1988. In 2017, the organizing body The Starbase was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to celebrating Star Trek’s vision of a diverse, hopeful future through humanitarianism and STEM education.

Every November, the group hosts one of the largest and longest-running Star Trek conventions in the Midwest, drawing hundreds of attendees to see Star Trek cast members, science-fiction actors, scientists, filmmakers, authors, artisans, and musicians as presenters.

For more information, visit starbaseindy.org.