Maxx Perez “We’ve always defined ourselves by the ability to overcome the impossible,” Matthew McConaughey said in an Interstellar trailer. “Perhaps we’ve just forgotten that we are still pioneers, that we’ve barely begun, and that our greatest accomplishments cannot be behind us — that our destiny lies above us.” Science fiction can craft our understanding of space and scientific advancement in an ever-expanding technological world. Well-crafted science fiction movies inspire students to develop long-term interests in STEM and pursue careers to challenge what’s been deemed impossible. Sci-fi is a reality-bending genre that became popularized in the 1930s before expanding into a new wave beyond hard sciences like STEM. This wave incorporated political and social commentary into understanding how fantastical developments would impact humanity. While sci-fi media sometimes overshadows scientific fact for storytelling’s sake, these movies offer necessary motivations to engage with STEM. Advertisement “For me, science documentaries were a great way to learn about science, and science fiction was a great way to visualize something that was, especially as a young person, very hard to visualize,” said Keith Hawkins, associate professor of astronomy. In sci-fi movies like Star Wars , we see scientific concepts like wormholes and cyborgs adapted to be understood by the general public. When portrayed accurately, these concepts allow students to accessibly understand the technologies being rapidly implemented around them. Aerospace engineering freshman Londyn Franklin said that before pursuing STEM, she overlooked hints and scientific principles mentioned in sci-fi films. But after participating in STEM activities, she began to understand the science behind the movies. “It kept (my) interest because now that you know how they did it, it’s like, ‘Okay, they did it in the movie, let’s go do this in real life’,” Franklin said. At UT, curiosity and big ideas drive students to lead careers dedicated to innovation. It’s through science fiction that these ideas eventually become reality with exploratory research. However, the benefits of this art form have significant costs, as some of the most expensive films ever created are sci-fi movies. It’s important to recognize the benefits of these expenditures while promoting actual scientific exploration. Some film studios, such as HHMI Tangled Bank Studios , have balanced the financial sacrifice by donating to scientific education and research while telling stories about science. “If we’re going to put money in science entertainment, why not make it educational?” Hawkins said. Modern sci-fi media depicting humans inhabiting other planets or AI gaining sentience not only stretches our imagination but sparks critical thinking about today’s innovations. “The questions that students end up asking after they watch these movies … are who built this technology and why? Who benefits from this technology? Who is harmed by this technology?” said Giulia Oprea, doctoral student and assistant instructor of UT’s “Critical Approaches to Sci-fi” course. Students in this course watch sci-fi movies to evaluate how technological developments like artificial intelligence can challenge accepted social practices. “When (students) see science as this human endeavor, instead of just a technical one, they become more critical about it,” Oprea said. “I like to think that by the end of the semester, when they see new innovations or new technologies, instead of just accepting them at face value, they start asking questions about it.” It’s important for science fiction movies to have a balance between visionary concepts and scientific principles, to allow students to gain educational value from the storyline. These movies inspire students to think beyond what we know about the world, and chart our own ideas of what’s possible. Williams is a psychology freshman from Richmond, Texas. 0 Source: https://thedailytexan.com/2025/11/11/a-future-from-science-fiction/