Yesterday (September 7, 2016) marked the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek’s first airing. I can’t count the ways in which this show has influenced me.  The biggest conscious influences:

• encouraged me to pursue a career in science and engineering
• motivated me to write my own stories
• helped me to accept that being analytical, making mistakes and expressing emotions are all OK
• showed people using logic and science to solve difficult problems (yeah, OK, and sometimes emotional convictions, intuition and force–that’s human too)
• showed me that others also value an upbeat vision of a future based on exploration (concepts as well as new places and people), tolerance, celebrating differences, and the scientific method.

Thanks to Gene Roddenberry and the multitudes of dedicated, creative people who helped bring the world of Star Trek to screens big, small, and flat.