Attention, Trekkies. You might want to make a star date.
Nichelle Nichols: Associated Press
Nichelle Nichols, the actress best-known as Lt. Uhura on Star Trek, headlines the list of featured guests at the 100 Year Starship 2012 Public Symposium coming to the Hyatt Regency downtown Sept. 13-16.

Dr. Mae Jemison, an astronaut and chair of the independent 100 Year Starship organization, is chairing the symposium, one of the first public events to raise funds for an initiative to make interstellar travel a reality. Dr. Richard Wainerdi, CEO of the Texas Medical Center, co-chairs.
Other featured guests include astronomer Jill Tarter, PBS space correspondent Miles O’Brien, actor/producer (and star of Star Trek: The Next Generation) LeVar Burton and Johnetta Cole, director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African Art.

In addition to workshops and classes open to the public, the event will feature two dinners. Tickets are $150 for the Plenary Session and Dinner celebrating 50 years of human space flight on Sept. 14; and $300 for the “Accelerating Creativity …...... A Celebration” dinner Sept. 15. Look for details here.