Isaac Asimov Isaac Asimov , born Isaak Yudovich Ozimov , was a scientist in the field of biochemistry , noted science fiction author , a well - respected voice within the scientific community , an outspoken supporter of cybernetics and creator of the " , " intended to protect Humans from androids , or ' robots ' as they were called then . As stated in , he did in fact coin the term " positronic brain " . He was also a good friend of " Star Trek " creator Gene Roddenberry and scientific adviser for . Asimov had first seen " Star Trek " at the 1 – " " in Cleveland , Ohio , when Roddenberry screened to the audience . The first encounter between the two men was less than auspicious ; when Asimov and his retinue entered the screening room , they did so in a bit too rambunctious manner , and a nervous , but still unknown , Roddenberry had the gall to shush the famed author up , enticing an audience member to call out , " " You ' re dead , you just insulted Isaac Asimov ! " " Asimov however , took no offense and conceded he was being rude . ( " Star Trek - Where No One Has Gone Before " , pp . 21 - 22 ) His collaboration with the series started in earnest with his " What Are a Few Galaxies Among Friends ? " - article he wrote for " TV Guide " in November the same year , in which he criticized the series for its scientific inaccuracy . More successfully rebooting their first acquaintance , Roddenberry wrote a courteous letter to Asimov , explaining how hard they tried to keep the show remaining in the realm of serious science fiction , by trying as much as possible to adhere to sound scientific principles within the restrictive framework of a television production , which made him change his opinion and become a loud supporter of " Star Trek " , and unlike the run - of - the - mill fan , a voice to be reckoned with . He and Roddenberry soon became friends and often shared letters in which Asimov gave advice concerning the series . ( " " ) Asimov ' s first affirmative input on behalf of " Star Trek " was already requested in early 1967 , when he was approached by " The Committee " to speak out favorably of the series in public . When the first season production was nearing its end , studio and Roddenberry were led to believe that " Star Trek " was not doing well in the ratings by a chagrined NBC , and Roddenberry sensed the possibility of a cancellation in the air . He discussed the matter with science fiction writer Harlan Ellison and together , both men decided upon a campaign to save " Star Trek " . Ellison organized " The Committee " , an advisory group of the foremost science fiction writers of the time through which a letter - campaign was organized . Science fiction fans ( general , not specifically Trekkie s alone ) started to write in , and a veritable contemporary who ' s who of science fiction made their favorable opinions known in numerous publications , chief amongst them , Isaac Asimov . On 9 March 1967 , a NBC announcer broadcast over the closing titles of that , " Star Trek will be back in the fall . And please don ' t write any more letters . " Thus was born the myth in " Star Trek " - lore that a letter campaign had saved the series for the first time . Actually , NBC had already decided to continue with the series before the campaign had even gathered steam , and Desilu Studios Executive Herb Solow has always been doubtful that the letter campaign had anything to do with this , as he strongly suspected that there had been other , entirely unrelated business considerations in play , " i . e . " the promotion of color television sets sold by NBC ' s mother company . He was informed by his former NBC colleagues that the network was fully aware that the relatively modest campaign was organized and artificial – merely considered a nuisance as the network had a standing policy to answer each and every letter sent to them – , and was reassured by some network executives , sincerely or not , that NBC was proud to air " Star Trek " . ( " " , 1997 , pp . 299 - 307 ) And indeed , Asimov ' s contribution , the " Mr . Spock is Dreamy ! " - article , was only published in " TV Guide " one month after the public renewal announcement . In the article Asimov described how he conceived the title after overhearing his young teenage daughter make the comment when watching an episode , and how the realization struck him that , apparently , " smart is sexy " ; already appreciative of the series for its attempts to adhere to scientific accuracy , Asimov now fully realized that " Star Trek " also appealed to other , deeper human levels as well , making it stand out from the juvenile standard fare that was hitherto presented to American television audiences . " And then , then , came this blinding revelation . Here I had been watching Star Trek since its inception because I like it , because it is well - done , because it is exciting , because it says things ( subtly and neatly ) that are difficult to say in " straight " drama , and because science fiction , properly presented , is the type of literature most appropriate to our generation . " But it hadn ' t occurred to me that Mr . Spock was sexy . I had never realized that such a thing was possible ; that girls palpitate over the way one eyebrow goes up a fraction ; that they squeal with passion when a little smile quirks his lip . And all because he ' s smart ! " Henceforth , Asimov became a " Trekkie " himself . ( " Star Trek - Where No One Has Gone Before " , 1994 , pp . 36 - 37 ) A decade later , Asimov reviewed a new promising science fiction show , the British " Space 1999 " series ( featuring former " " co - stars Barbara Bain and Martin Landau ) , and compared it to the " Original Series " , still deeming it the superior one ; as for the reasons why , he summarized as follows , How influential Asimov ' s words were was evidenced by the deluge of critique from Americans that befell " Space 1999 " , using Asimov ' s words as arguments . In , Asimov also attended the first " Star Trek " convention , organized by the fan organization " The Committee " – not to be confused with the 1967 science fiction writer ' s one . ( " The Star Trek Compendium " ) Like Roddenberry , Asimov was a frequent convention attendant and , again like Roddenberry , genuinely reveled in interacting with fans , making himself as accessible as possible to them . Aside from the general science fiction conventions , he has made several additional appearances on the " Star Trek " convention circuit in the 1970s alongside Roddenberry , and has written several articles on the phenomenon , among others for " " magazine . Specialized " Star Trek " conventions Asimov attended included the second and third ones in 1973 and 1974 respectively , complemented with two convention attendances each in 1975 and 1976 . While invited in 1966 by Roddenberry to write for " Star Trek : The Original Series " , Asimov did not do so , not able to find the time ( " " , 1st ed . , p . 3 ) , yet chalked up one later official franchise contribution nonetheless : that of " Special Science Consultant " for " The Motion Picture " . Actually , that production was already served by Jesco von Puttkamer in that capacity , but Roddenberry needed an additional " heavier weight " to win over some of the highest and more conservative corporate executives , who started to increasingly voice concerns about the theme of a sentient robot , for religious as well as scientific believability reasons , resisting the theme for well over a year . Despite Asimov ' s reassurances , and even though by that time it had been too late to alter the story , their fears were only allayed when " Penthouse " magazine published an interview ( in its issue ) in which the director of NASA ' s Institute of Space Studies , Robert Jastrow , broached the subject favorably . ( " " , p . 193 ; " " , p . 101 ) In , Roddenberry wrote a letter to both Asimov and , asking the two noted authors to support his response – which was a negative opinion – to the story outline of , against Producer Harve Bennett and star / Director / Co - Writer William Shatner . Asimov replied with a supporting letter to Roddenberry , sharing his views on the un - scientific " the center of the Galaxy " concept and the " un - " Trek " - like " notion of the crew falling in for a charismatic preacher . This was not the first time Roddenberry sought out support from the famed authors , as he had done so on several occasions previously , when things did not go his way , and it was scoffingly met with increasing derision from some , but not all , " Star Trek " production staffers , as was evidenced by a later remark from Bennett ; " " He would cite everybody from Arthur C . Clarke to Isaac Asimov , who he would always run to , and they would always say , ' Yes , Gene , you ' re right ' . " " ( " Cinefantastique " , Vol . 22 , No . 5 , p . 41 ) Captain Amasov was named for him . Within the " Star Trek " universe , he was in dialogue in and in production art seen in . Albert Macklin was based on Asimov . On the subject of his own birthdate , Asimov said , in " In Memory Yet Green " , " " The date of my birth , as I celebrate it , was January 2 , 1920 . It could not have been later than that . It might , however , have been earlier . Allowing for the uncertainties of the times , of the lack of records , of the Jewish and Julian calendars , it might have been as early as October 4 , 1919 . There is , however , no way of finding out . My parents were always uncertain and it really doesn ' t matter . I celebrate January 2 , 1920 , so let it be . " "