Astronomy Educator Ray Villard to Guest at Otakon

Baltimore, MD (June 25, 2014) – Otakorp, Inc. is pleased to announce that members will explore outer space at Otakon 2014 with guest Ray Villard, News Director for the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). STScI operates the science program for the Hubble Space Telescope, whose discoveries are artfully communicated by Villard to media and the public. Villard's appearance ties in with the overall theme of "space" that underlines this year's programming.

“As much as cherry blossoms, Tokyo, or Mount Fuji, outer space has been the scenic backdrop for iconic anime. All those beautiful backgrounds are rooted in the images that come from the space program. Whether it's Yamato silhouetted against the starry sky or the aspirations of the Space Brothers, the imagery can be truly inspiring,” said Jim Vowles, Director of Guests & Industry Relations.

Villard has specialized in communicating astronomy since 1974 and received several NASA service awards for his contribution to publicizing. He was previously associate editor for the popular magazine Astronomy. He has written a variety of freelance articles for magazines, encyclopedias and Internet blogs, and scripts for several syndicated science programs on public radio.

In 2004, Villard published an illustrated astronomy book on the discovery of extrasolar planets entitled Infinite Worlds. Villard co-wrote a video adaption of the book for the National Geographic Channel. That program, Alien Earth's, was nominated for the 2010 Prime Time Emmy Awards.

Otakon 2014 will be held August 8-10 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, MD.

ABOUT OTAKON AND OTAKORP, INC.: Now entering its twenty first year, Otakon is an annual celebration of Japanese and East Asian popular culture, and also one of the largest gatherings of fans in the United States. Otakon celebrates popular culture as a gateway to deeper understanding of Asian culture, and has grown along with the enthusiasm for anime, manga, video games, and music from the Far East. Since 1999, Otakon has been held in Baltimore, Maryland; currently, Otakon is one of Baltimore's few large, city-wide events, drawing over 34,000 people for three days each year (for a paid attendance of over 100,000 turnstile attendees). Otakon is a membership based convention sponsored by Otakorp, Inc., a Pennsylvania-based, 501(c)3 educational non-profit whose mission is to promote the appreciation of Asian culture, primarily through its media and entertainment. Otakorp, Inc. is directed by an all-volunteer, unpaid staff – we are run by fans, for fans.