The real-world influence of Star Trek | Elsbeth Magilton | TEDxOmaha

Elsbeth Magilton takes us through the strange twists and turns of how using Star Trek to entice student to attend her Space Law lectures, took a sudden leap into hyperdrive. From being fun and silly, Star Trek morphed from Pop Culture, into a high impact learning tool using stories to explore a different space, and challenge different frontiers. Using not just any stories, but science fiction stories became a vehicle to discuss, and unpack some really hard topics that face us today. Sci-Fi isn’t fantasy, it’s futurism. It is removed enough from our experiences and bias to let us look at challenges objectively. When we move into that space, we can explore with less constraints, and may even surprise ourselves with our different perspectives.

Elsbeth Magilton is an attorney and educator serving as the Director of Externships and the Executive Director of the Space, Cyber, and Telecommunications Law programs at the University of Nebraska College of Law. She has appeared at SXSW in 2021 and has been quoted in The Atlantic, The Verge, and a host of other publications. In 2022 Elsbeth was named a “NExt Pioneer” with the Nebraska Tech Collaborative – a workforce initiative examining tech talent in the Midwest.

She is also a current Scowcroft National Security Fellow at the Eisenhower Center for Space and Defense at the U.S. Air Force Academy. From 2021-2023 Elsbeth served as the board president for Girls Code Lincoln, a nonprofit igniting passion for technology in 4th-9th grade students, where she now leads fundraising efforts. She also is a member of the Advisory Board for the Branched Oak Observatory, a sky park supported by science educators and astronomy enthusiasts. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx