Samuel Conway

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Lore & Background

Samuel Conway earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from Dartmouth College in 1991, with a thesis on the attempted generation of indolyne. He subsequently held postdoctoral and contract positions, including work for the Food and Drug Administration, Bionetics, Avid Therapeutics (March 1995 – August 1997), and Message Pharmaceuticals (August 1997 – April 1999). He later worked as a regulatory chemist for Cerexagri from May 2001 to June 2007, then became a principal chemist for West Pharmaceutical Services. As of July 2013, he was working for a group near Raleigh, North Carolina. He has authored eleven professional publications and two patents, one covering compounds intended to treat hepatitis B in synergy with lamivudine and another relating to recyclable packaging material. Conway was introduced to the furry fandom at Noreascon 3 (the 1989 Worldcon). He became chairman of Anthrocon in 1999 after being a guest of honor in 1998. Under his leadership, attendance grew from 842 to 2,489 between 1999 and 2006, prompting a move to Pittsburgh; 3,390 attended in 2008. He handles public relations, hotel contracts, finances, and damage control. Conway initially dissuaded media contact due to sensationalist coverage like the 2001 Vanity Fair article in which he was quoted, but relaxed this stance after the move to Pittsburgh, allowing newspapers like the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to attend, and giving a short television interview to KDKA-TV. In November 2006 he gave a radio interview to Dublin's 98FM. Conway styles himself 'Furrydom's Storyteller,' making annual appearances at Anthrocon in what has come to be known as Uncle Kage's Story Hour. His stage name resulted from his first storytelling experience at ConFurence in 1994, deriving from his fandom name Kagemushi Goro (Shadow Bug Goro). Gross sales from recordings of his Story Hours were over US$2600 in 2004. He also serves as an auctioneer, raising over US$66,000 for local wildlife charities at Anthrocon alone. He has authored short stories published by Sofawolf Press, including 'Tweaked in the Head' (December 1999), 'The Secret of Wollknäul' (June 2001), 'The Good Bird of Nanking,' and 'It Takes A Fox.' His story 'Six' was nominated for 'Best Anthropomorphic Short Story' in the 2002 Ursa Major Awards. In 2012, he helped raise over $21,000 to keep Fernando's, a local restaurant that welcomed Anthrocon guests, from closing.

Reader's Guide

Samuel Conway's significance lies in his dual career as a research chemist and a central figure in the furry fandom. As chairman of Anthrocon since 1999, he transformed a gathering of 842 attendees into one of the world's largest furry conventions, navigating growth, relocation to Philadelphia then Pittsburgh, and media relations. His approach to media—initially discouraging contact due to sensationalist coverage like the 2001 Vanity Fair article, later allowing newspaper and television interviews after the 2006 move to Pittsburgh—reflects a pragmatic effort to protect the community while allowing measured public engagement. Within the fandom, his storytelling as 'Uncle Kage' at annual Story Hours and his auctioneering for charity have made him a beloved personality. His scientific work includes eleven professional publications and two patents, one for hepatitis B treatments and another for recyclable packaging. Conway's legacy includes the institutional success of Anthrocon, his personal contributions to fandom culture, charity fundraising, and a pioneering bone marrow donation in March 1990 for a 4-year-old with Hunter syndrome, which was the first of its kind involving an unrelated donor and was successful.

Did You Know?

• Conway's Ph.D. thesis at Dartmouth College concerned the attempted generation of indolyne, an aromatic compound related to indole.
• He became chairman of Anthrocon in 1999 after being a guest of honor in 1998, and under his leadership attendance grew from 842 to 2,489 between 1999 and 2006.
• In March 1990, Conway became an experimental bone marrow donor for a 4-year-old with Hunter syndrome; it was the first such operation involving an unrelated donor and was successful.
• His story 'Six' was nominated for 'Best Anthropomorphic Short Story' in the 2002 Ursa Major Awards.
• In 2012, Conway helped raise over $21,000 to keep Fernando's, a Pittsburgh restaurant that welcomed furries, from closing.