Dr. Martine Rothblatt
Martine Rothblatt, Ph.D, MBA, J.D.
is an American lawyer, author, and entrepreneur.
Her most recent book is
Virtually Human: The Promise — and the Peril — of Digital
Immortality.
She
started
United Therapeutics (NASDAQ: UTHR) in 1996 and has served as
Chairman & CEO since its inception. The company develops and/or
commercializes unique analogs of natural molecules for cardiopulmonary
disorders, novel monoclonal antibodies for certain cancers, small
glycobiologicals for infectious diseases, telemedical services
(including for International Space Station astronauts) and
nutriceuticals.
Prior to starting United Therapeutics, in 1990 she created
Sirius Satellite
Radio and served as its first Chairman & CEO. She
also
initiated and led the effort to get the Federal Communications
Commission to create the satellite radio service in which both Sirius
and XM operate, based on underutilized frequencies and the novel concept
of using GPS-type antennas for digital audio.
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President Clinton Receives Two Stars for Peace from Martine
Rothblatt at Deutsche Bank 2005 Health Care Conference in
Baltimore, Maryland. |
Her career in satellite communications began in 1980 with her MBA thesis, PanAmSat, which formed the basis of the first private international satellite system. She led the effort to get PanAmSat initially financed and approved. This satellite system ultimately became the world’s largest after being acquired by Hughes and Intelsat.
Martine’s public service activities include representing the radio astronomy community in its efforts to secure quiet frequency bands for astrophysical research, developing improved medical ethics for transgender health service providers, and leading the International Bar Association’s effort to provide the United Nations with a Human Genome Treaty. Her publications include five books and over fifty peer-reviewed articles. Martine graduated from UCLA with a combined law and MBA degree in 1981.
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Martine Presents Two Stars for Peace
to Gen. Colin Powell at
Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. |
In 2004, Martine launched the Terasem Movement which is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charity endowed for the purpose of educating the public on the practicality and necessity of greatly extending human life, consistent with diversity and unity, via geoethical nanotechnology and personal cyberconsciousness. This charity hosts the Annual Workshop on Geoethical Nanotechnology and the Annual Colloquium on the Law of Transhuman Persons.
Terasem publishes the journal The Journal of Geoethical Nanotechnology which explores economic, political, social and technological aspects of the developing technology of molecular nanotechnology. The Journal invites submissions on controversial topics such as self-replication and governance. It also publishes the journal The Journal of Personal Cyberconsciousness which explores the mathematical, physical, engineering (hardware, software, firmware), philosophical, psychological, biological, socioeconomic, and juridical aspects of non-flesh based consciousness, such as could arise from an advanced machine-based computer. Submissions to both journals are encouraged. Learn more!
The Terasem Movement has created Lifenaut.com, a free online networking and personal data storage service that will “preserve one’s individual consciousness so that it remains viable for possible uploading with consciousness software into a cellular regenerated or bionanotechnological body by future medicine and technology.”
Users can upload up to 7 GB of “mindfiles”, including videos, pictures, music and documents, which can be viewed by other “lifenauts”. A Social Connections page allows users to create a sociogram showing connections to people they have met over the course of their life.
Terasem has created CyBeRev. CyBeRev means cybernetic beingness revival. The purpose of the CyBeRev project is to prevent death by preserving sufficient digital information about a person so that recovery remains possible by foreseeable technology.
Learn about Martine’s film that is scheduled for release in 2008, TransBeMan – Into the Light, a techno-fable set in the near future. The film stars James Remar (Dexter, Sex In The City, The Warriors), Kevin Corrigan (The Departed, Goodfellas) and new screen sensation Jane Kim (West 32nd Street) as Mia 2.0 the TransbeMan.
Download the free Arabic and Hebrew Translations of Two Stars for Peace. Watch Legal Rights of Conscious Computers, Forms of Transhuman Persons and The Importance of Prior Resolution of Relevant Law: A Comparison with the Law of Outer Space, and Why Transbemans in Biostasis are Alive. Learn about Terasem Motion InfoCulture’s feature film The Singularity is Near: A True Story About the Future.