The Eaton Conference
       

UC Riverside's Eaton Conference is a premier academic conference devoted to the study of science fiction and the interrelations of science and the humanities.

The conference was begun in 1979. Of past conferences, nineteen have been held at UC Riverside, other have taken place at international venues, co-sponsored by UCR and various host institutions: London Polytechnic University,1984; The Sorbonne-Nouvelle, 1986; University of Leeds, 1989; Texas A&M University, 1990; the Maison d'Ailleurs, Yverdon-les-bains, and the Université de Neuchâtel, 1991; Imperial College, London, 1995; the Chinese University of Hong-Kong, 2000, and the Science Fiction Museum in Seattle in 2005.

The conference was conceived to bring together academics from all disciplinary areas, scientists, writers, and editors. Its stated purpose was to establish science fiction studies as a serious academic discipline, and to introduce prominent academic critics to SF literature, film and culture. As keynote speakers, it has hosted such luminaries as: Harry Levin, Harold Bloom, Leslie Fiedler, Robert Scholes, Frederic Jameson, Gerald Prince, Eric Rabkin, Bruce Franklin, Tom Shippey, Frank McConnell, Patrick Parrinder, Edward James, Mark Rose, and many others. Writer-guests include Brian Aldiss, Theodore Sturgeon, Roger Zelazny, Tom Disch, David Brin, Greg Bear, Arthur C. Clarke (via satellite), Samuel R. Delany, Gregory Benford, Lewis Shiner, Larry Niven, and Robert Silverberg. Scientist guests have included Harold Bloom, Leslie Fiedler, Fredric Jameson, Harry Levin, Marvin Minsky and Robert Scholes. All of the above guests of honor have contributed significant papers to conference volumes.

The Eaton Conference has produced or contributed to 25 publications. These have been published by various academic presses, and have essentially put science fiction studies on the academic map. Most of these volumes are still in print today, and continue to shape the field.

The 2008 J. Lloyd Eaton Conference: Chronicling Mars