IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The director of the Iowa Department of Transportation is boldly inviting his employees to go where they’ve gone many times before: a work meeting. A video produced by DOT staff features Director Mark Lowe and six department leaders as characters from “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” The video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o403Rlyf0cA&feature=youtu.be)  urges employees to attend a two-day annual leadership conference that begins Wednesday.

Lowe is the star, dressing in the uniform of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard and flashing the Vulcan salute. With “Star Trek” theme music playing, he says the mission is to engage employees “to boldly go where no DOT has gone before.”

The others didn’t dress up but had their headshots photo-shopped onto the bodies of “Star Trek” characters. Lowe recorded another video for last year’s conference featuring him eating dates. He says the videos are “very quick, easy and efficient” ways to connect with employees using self-deprecating humor.