Difference between revisions of "Bill Higgins"
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A radiation safety physicist by profession, with a long career at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Higgins frequently speaks on science-[[track]] [[panels]] at cons. He is an occasional [[fanwriter]] and [[fanhistorian]] and can sometimes be found playing the baritone ukelele at [[filksings]]. | A radiation safety physicist by profession, with a long career at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Higgins frequently speaks on science-[[track]] [[panels]] at cons. He is an occasional [[fanwriter]] and [[fanhistorian]] and can sometimes be found playing the baritone ukelele at [[filksings]]. | ||
| − | He belongs to [[General Technics]] and was a regular at [[Thursday]]. Higgins | + | He belongs to [[General Technics]] and was a regular at [[Thursday]]. Higgins contributed to Live Journal with "Eponymously Yours, W. Skeffington Higgins," where he used to post on [[fannish]] topics. |
Along with [[Barry Gehm]], Higgins wrote the [[filksong]] “Home On LaGrange (The L5 Song)” first published in ''CoEvolution Quarterly'' (1978). | Along with [[Barry Gehm]], Higgins wrote the [[filksong]] “Home On LaGrange (The L5 Song)” first published in ''CoEvolution Quarterly'' (1978). | ||
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*[https://sfbios.com/bios/bill_higgins_windycon1993.html 1993 Windycon bio.] | *[https://sfbios.com/bios/bill_higgins_windycon1993.html 1993 Windycon bio.] | ||
=Higgins's Lives of the Fans= | =Higgins's Lives of the Fans= | ||
| − | From time to time, Higgins has been asked to write biographical essays for [[Guests of Honor]], each published in the [[program book]] of a convention. He reprinted many of these in his blog, collected under the title "[https://beamjockey.dreamwidth.org/tag/higgins%27s+lives+of+the+fans Higgins's Lives of the Fans]," including an introduction, "[https://beamjockey.dreamwidth.org/170477.html On the Convention Program-Book Biography.]" | + | From time to time, Higgins has been asked to write [[biographical]] essays for [[Guests of Honor]], each published in the [[program book]] of a [[convention]]. He reprinted many of these in his blog, collected under the title "[https://beamjockey.dreamwidth.org/tag/higgins%27s+lives+of+the+fans Higgins's Lives of the Fans]," including an introduction, "[https://beamjockey.dreamwidth.org/170477.html On the Convention Program-Book Biography.]" |
Subjects include: | Subjects include: | ||
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| [[Alice Bentley]]|| [https://beamjockey.dreamwidth.org/170697.html Bio Essay] || [[Capricon 30]] | | [[Alice Bentley]]|| [https://beamjockey.dreamwidth.org/170697.html Bio Essay] || [[Capricon 30]] | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Phil Foglio]]|| [https://beamjockey.dreamwidth.org/171050.html Bio Essay] || | + | | [[Phil Foglio]]|| [https://beamjockey.dreamwidth.org/171050.html Bio Essay] || [[WindyCon 36]] |
|- | |- | ||
| [[Steve Collins]]|| [https://beamjockey.dreamwidth.org/172872.html Bio Essay] || [[DucKon_VIII|Duckon 8]] | | [[Steve Collins]]|| [https://beamjockey.dreamwidth.org/172872.html Bio Essay] || [[DucKon_VIII|Duckon 8]] | ||
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| [[Jo Walton]]|| [https://beamjockey.dreamwidth.org/174120.html Bio Essay] || [[DucKon_XV|DucKon XV]] | | [[Jo Walton]]|| [https://beamjockey.dreamwidth.org/174120.html Bio Essay] || [[DucKon_XV|DucKon XV]] | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Tullio Proni]]|| [https://beamjockey.dreamwidth.org/174598.html Bio Essay] || [[DucKon IV]] | + | | [[Tullio Proni]]|| [https://beamjockey.dreamwidth.org/174598.html Bio Essay] || [[DucKon IV]]<ref>This essay was not published in the [[DucKon IV]] [[program book]].</ref> |
|- | |- | ||
| [[Steven Silver]]|| [https://beamjockey.dreamwidth.org/181185.html Bio Essay] || [[FenCon_VIII|Fencon VIII]] | | [[Steven Silver]]|| [https://beamjockey.dreamwidth.org/181185.html Bio Essay] || [[FenCon_VIII|Fencon VIII]] | ||
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|} | |} | ||
| − | + | ||
{{recognition}} | {{recognition}} | ||
* 1980 -- [[Toastmaster]] at [[Whatcon II]] | * 1980 -- [[Toastmaster]] at [[Whatcon II]] | ||
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* 2013 -- [[DucKon 22]] | * 2013 -- [[DucKon 22]] | ||
* 2014 -- [[Boskone 51]] | * 2014 -- [[Boskone 51]] | ||
| − | * 2022 -- [[Windycon 48]] | + | * 2022 -- [[Windycon 48]] [[Science GoH]] |
| + | |||
| + | ____ | ||
| + | <references /> | ||
| − | {{person | born=1954}} | + | {{person | born=1954 |locale=Aurora, IL}} |
[[Category:fan]] | [[Category:fan]] | ||
[[Category:US]] | [[Category:US]] | ||
Latest revision as of 13:29, 14 November 2023
(January 12, 1954 –)
Chicago-area fan Bill Higgins (more formally, William Skeffington Higgins) is a leading light of Midwest fandom, where his always-smiling face with its chinstrap beard is a frequent sight at cons, typically surrounded by a bevy of friends and acquaintances. He commonly uses Beam Jockey as an online sobriquet.
A radiation safety physicist by profession, with a long career at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Higgins frequently speaks on science-track panels at cons. He is an occasional fanwriter and fanhistorian and can sometimes be found playing the baritone ukelele at filksings.
He belongs to General Technics and was a regular at Thursday. Higgins contributed to Live Journal with "Eponymously Yours, W. Skeffington Higgins," where he used to post on fannish topics.
Along with Barry Gehm, Higgins wrote the filksong “Home On LaGrange (The L5 Song)” first published in CoEvolution Quarterly (1978).
In the 1980s, Higgins, Gehm and Renee Sieber organized a Moopsball game involving fans from all over the Midwest. Steve Johnson provided equipment for the game with the unwitting participation of the DePaul University athletic department. The Michigan State University team, The Professor George Edward Challenger Memorial Tectonic Plate Pushing and Freestyle Dinosaur Wrestling Team, prevailed.
He is married to fellow fan Kelley Mathews.
- Higgins on Dreamwidth. (From 2004 to 2017, he blogged as user Beamjockey on Livejournal, but later copied his blog to Dreamwidth.)
- 1993 Windycon bio.
Higgins's Lives of the Fans[edit]
From time to time, Higgins has been asked to write biographical essays for Guests of Honor, each published in the program book of a convention. He reprinted many of these in his blog, collected under the title "Higgins's Lives of the Fans," including an introduction, "On the Convention Program-Book Biography."
Subjects include:
| Guest of Honor | Link to essay | Convention |
|---|---|---|
| Alice Bentley | Bio Essay | Capricon 30 |
| Phil Foglio | Bio Essay | WindyCon 36 |
| Steve Collins | Bio Essay | Duckon 8 |
| Mary Lynn Skirvin Johnson | Bio Essay | Musecon 0 |
| Jo Walton | Bio Essay | DucKon XV |
| Tullio Proni | Bio Essay | DucKon IV[1] |
| Steven Silver | Bio Essay | Fencon VIII |
| Hugh Daniel | Bio Essay | Windycon 38 |
Awards, Honors and GoHships:
- 1980 -- Toastmaster at Whatcon II
- 1987 -- ConQuistador IV
- 1990 -- Millennicon -11
- 1990 -- ConClave 15
- 1993 -- Windycon XX
- 1993 -- DucKon 2
- 1996 -- Nanocon 8
- 1998 -- Congenial 9
- 1990 -- Capricon 10
- 2007 -- MoonBase ConFusion
- 2013 -- DucKon 22
- 2014 -- Boskone 51
- 2022 -- Windycon 48 Science GoH
____
- ↑ This essay was not published in the DucKon IV program book.
| Person | 1954— |
| This is a biography page. Please extend it by adding more information about the person, such as fanzines and apazines published, awards, clubs, conventions worked on, GoHships, impact on fandom, external links, anecdotes, etc. See Standards for People and The Naming of Names. |
