Biographies

Homer Hickam

Ret. NASA Engineer, Author "Rocket Boys"

Rocket Boys | Marshall Space Flight Center

Homer Hickam is an American author, Vietnam veteran, and a former NASA engineer. His autobiographical novel Rocket Boys was a #1 New York Times Best-seller, is studied in many American and international school systems, and was the basis for the popular film October Sky. In that book, Homer chronicles his childhood study of rocketry which led to a national science fair gold medal, and a scholarship to Georgia Tech. Hickam served as a First Lieutenant in the Fourth Infantry Division during the Vietnam War in 1967 and 1968. For his service, he earned the Commendation and Bronze Star Medals. He began employment with the NASA at The Marshall Space Flight Center in 1981 as an aerospace engineer. During his career, Homer worked in spacecraft design and crew training. His specialties at NASA included training astronauts on science payloads, and extra-vehicular activities (EVA). He also trained astronaut crews for many Spacelab and Space Shuttle missions, including the Hubble Space Telescope. Prior to his retirement from federal service in 1998, Hickam was the Payload Training Manager for the International Space Station Program.

Leroy Dubeck

Prof. Physics Temple Univ., Author "Fantastic Voyages"

Dr. Dubeck holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Rutgers University. He joined the Temple faculty in 1965 and has served on dozens of senate, college and departmental committees including 15 years on the Faculty Senate Budget Review Committee. He has been twice acting chair of the Physics Department and former Chair of the Collegial Assembly of Temple's College of Science and Technology. In addition to "Fantastic Voyages" he is the author/co-author of 6 college textbooks and has been active in curricular improvements in science courses. His pioneering teaching method that he developed uses Science Fiction film to teach entry-level Physics courses to non-science majors. His teaching method has been adapted by hundreds of physics teachers at both the College and High School level and is credited with inspiring students to study physics as a career.

Patrick Lucanio

Prof. Film Studies, Author "Smokin' Rockets"

Lucanio Home Page

Patrick Lucanio holds a doctorate in telecommunication and film from the University of Oregon where he has served as a visiting professor of film studies. He also holds masters degrees in humanities and one in film history. He has been an educator at the university level for over 20 years including 17 at Western Oregon University where taught motion picture production, scriptwriting, and video production. He has served as technical adviser for various student and independent productions and in 1999 he produced a feature-length pastiche of 1950s science fiction films titled Killers from Mars. Professionally, Dr. Lucanio has authored numerous articles on film history and genre studies. He is the author of Them or Us, a scholarly analysis of 1950s monster movies, and has co-authored with Gary Coville three works on genre history: American Science Fiction Television Series of the 1950s; Jack the Ripper: His Life and Crimes in Popular Entertainment; and Smokin' Rockets: The Romance of Technology in Film, Radio and Television in the 1950s.

Gary Coville

Historian, Author "Smokin' Rockets"

Gary Coville is a professional research librarian, historian, and author. Together with Patrick Lucanio his longtime friend and colleague, they have authored three works on genre history: American Science Fiction Television Series of the 1950s; Jack the Ripper: His Life and Crimes in Popular Entertainment; and Smokin' Rockets: The Romance of Technology in Film, Radio and Television in the 1950s. Gary specializes in science fiction radio programming of the 1950's and has written many articles on the subject. He is currently retired and living in his hometown of Dallas Oregon.

Richard Scheib

Movie Critic

Science Fiction...Review

Richard Scheib is a notable film critic from Christchurch New Zealand. He authors and maintains a website called The Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Film Review as an attempt to provide an exhaustive online resource and intelligently well-reasoned guide to fantastic cinema. Richard defines fantastic Cinema is an umbrella label that covers material of great diversity. On his website, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Bambi, and directors that range from Ingmar Bergman to Edward D. Wood Jr — are all represented and discussed in terms of their own merits. Richard created his website because of his lifelong passion for the subject matter and a desire to fill the gap between the disappointing lack of honest criticism. Richard is a true film historian in every right and his work has been referenced by many authors, in both books and in the press.

David Gargani

Director

David Gargani studied film at Ithaca College and has since spent the last 10 years as a commercial and feature editor. His editing credits include work on the acclaimed Metallica documentary "Some Kind of Monster" and the "Animated Alias" TV series. He is a co-owner of Blue Room, a NYC design and editorial firm and has been the recipient of numerous BDA and Promax awards for excellence in cable advertising. After directing a handful of music videos, David made his feature directorial debut with "Monsters From The Id," and is continuing to develop science driven TV and film content through his production company Sling & Arrows Films.