A large star in the middle of colorful space

Sci X Sci-Fi

Inspiring hope and optimism.

Sci X Sci-Fi 2026

Imagine a future you’re excited to live in, that you can’t wait to get to. If it’s difficult, you’re not alone. 
Dystopic visions of the future dominate popular culture, but what if we empower each other with hope by letting ourselves dream? That’s why Yale Planetary Solutions hosts Sci X Sci-Fi, a new conversation  between creative world builders and those innovating and inventing. 

2026 Event Highlights

Sci X Sci-Fi 2026 will take place March 26-27, 2026. Join Creatives-in-Residence Stephanie Barish, Founder and CEO of IndieCade; Tory Stephens, Climate Fiction Creative Manager at Grist; and board game designer Matteo Menapace to discuss–and experience–the power of climate storytelling through video games, fiction writing, and board games.

2026 Creatives-in-Residence

Stephanie Barish

Stephanie Barish is the founder of IndieCade, the leading stand-alone international festival of independent games. She is an award-winning producer and a prominent figure behind leading initiatives that are guiding games, digital media, interactive arts, and those who make them, into the future. IndieCade runs the annual Climate Jam competition, inviting game creators from around the world to make games that explore solutions to address a rapidly changing planet.

Stephanie Barish
Tory Stephens

Tory Stephens is a climate storyteller, narrative strategist, and creative manager at Grist, where he co-founded and leads Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors. He oversees two acclaimed anthologies, builds partnerships across media, film, and academia, and develops collaborations that bring climate storytelling into conversation with new audiences and communities. He thinks about climate through culture — and believes the stories we tell about the future shape the futures we’re able to build.

Tory Stephens
Matteo Menapace

Matteo Menapace is a game designer and educator. He designs cooperative board games inspired by social issues, such as food politics, memory loss, and the climate crisis. He also teaches people how to make games that encourage collaboration and help people navigate complex conversations and facilitates playful workshops for people to explore real-world challenges. 

Matteo Menapace

At a Glance

  • Scientific Panel

    Yale scientists spark inspiration by explaining the most promising future technologies

  • Flash Fiction Contest

    Compete for $600 in prizes for 300 to 1,000-word stories featuring hopeful futures

  • Creatives-in-Residence

    Storytelling experts come to campus to share their knowledge about climate narratives

  • 240

    People engaged through Sci X Sci-Fi 2025 through workshops, lab visits, and panels

Dawn Leaks Ragsdale

“While Sci-Fi has a reputation for lifting up stories that often tilt toward dystopian imaginings of the future, Sci X Sci-Fi was a wonderful reminder that the genre can also challenge us to imagine a future where scientific advancement can benefit all of human kind particularly when we center the wellbeing of all people in that advancement.”

—

Dawn Leaks Ragsdale, Executive Director of The Center for Inclusive Growth and 2025 Sci X Sci-Fi Panelist

Can Science Fiction Help Us Envision a Better Future?

March 27, 2025

In an interview with YaleNews, Annalee Newitz, the inaugural “creator-in-residence” of a new Yale series called “Sci X Sci-Fi,” explains how science fiction can help point the way to a thriving tomorrow. 

Read More.
Earth from space on Unsplash by Vimal S

Scenes from Sci X Sci-Fi 2025