As a new space age dawns, have women come far enough to go farther than they ever have before?
The need is clear to create new models for space exploration and to expand the roles, not only for those who travel in space and eventually settle on other worlds, but also for the ground-based scientists and technicians so vital to the success of any off-Earth mission.
The Madame Mars project includes photos, interviews, videos and educational materials that extend the story beyond traditional cinematic confines. In addition, writer/director Jan Millsapps has created and presented customized presentations on a variety of Mars-related topics at the United Nations, SETI Institute, the Mars Society and more. Contact us if you’d like to host a Madame Mars screening or event.
Jan Millsapps, Professor Emeritus at San Francisco State University, is a veteran filmmaker, an early web innovator and a versatile and accomplished writer whose creative work and professional activities demonstrate an ongoing commitment to finding and telling women’s stories, especially those related to science and technology, and in improving the status of women individually and globally. She has spoken widely about the need for more diversity in space arenas worldwide, is a founding member of the global Space4Women group, and in 2020 was named a mentor by the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs. She earned her B.A with honors from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, her M.A. from Winthrop University, and her Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina. She also holds an academic certificate in cosmology from the University of Central Lancashire in the U.K.