It is with sincere and deep regret that I must report the loss of one of the speaking guests for the Space, Science and Skeptics Tracks. Jeff Medkeff, known as The Blue Collar Scientist passed away on August 3rd, from complications of liver cancer, while in England on vacation.
I never met Jeff Medkeff but I was really looking forward to doing so at Dragon*Con this year. He is one of those amazing people who breath of knowledge covers so many areas. I certainly cannot do justice to all his interests, I'll leave that to his web site (click on the link above); I can only speak of the communication I had with him while arranging for him to present on both the Space and Science Tracks.
I became aware of Jeff Medkeff through Derek and Swoopy, the directors of the Skeptics and Podcasting tracks, respectively. They pointed me in his direction and I was hooked immediately. Here was man who has found numerous asteroids and, as the finder, was allowed to name them! Hence, for the Space track Jeff's topic was "How to Discover Some Asteroids, Name Them After Friends, and Still Sleep at Night". A number of those 'friends' will be at Dragon*Con this year, such as Phil Plait, Mike Stackpole and our own Derek Swoopy. I was really looking forward to that presentation.
But was to be on the Science track that Jeff's real passion was to be revealed. Like many of us, Jeff was concerned, frustrated and downright angry about what has and is happening to science education in our country. It is in crisis and Jeff was out to help change that. Of the many topics Jeff could have presented on, he insisted on doing "How to Make Things Better: The Crisis in Science Education and What *YOU* Can Do About It!". No one who involves themselves in bettering science education in the USA can do so without running into the morass of religious and political dogma that is becoming entrenched in so many places. When I asked him to join the panel, ' "Political" Science', he immediately agreed. It was the last communication I would have with Jeff. His was a voice with solid ideas and ways to implement them and it truly saddens me that such a passionate voice for the improvement of science education has left us.
To Jeff's family and friends, to those whose lives he touched and to his wife Karen, I join you in honoring this man, that sadly, none of us will have the privilege of meeting. May his voice carry on.