NASA'S Top Space Technologists Head Back To School

Sept. 28, 2012

David E. Steitz
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1730
david.steitz@nasa.gov


MEDIA ADVISORY: M12-195

NASA'S TOP SPACE TECHNOLOGISTS HEAD BACK TO SCHOOL

WASHINGTON -- NASA Chief Technologist Mason Peck and Space Technology
Program Director Michael Gazarik will be visiting some of America's
most recognized universities next week. The NASA top technologists
will meet with students and faculty to discuss the agency's current
and upcoming new technology and innovation initiatives.

Peck will be visiting Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.,
Wednesday, Oct. 3, and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor
Thursday, Oct. 4. Gazarik will visit the University of Virginia in
Charlottesville Tuesday, Oct. 2; Duke University in Durham, N.C.,
Wednesday, Oct. 3; and North Carolina State University in Raleigh
Thursday, Oct. 4.

Journalists are invited to join the NASA leaders during their campus
visits. Reporters should contact NASA's David Steitz at 202-358-1730
or david.steitz@nasa.gov for university media contacts who will
coordinate local schedules and credentialing.

Peck serves as the principal technology advisor to the NASA
administrator and is the agency advocate on matters concerning
technology policy and programs. Gazarik manages the agency's space
technology projects within the Space Technology Program.

In addition to giving an overview of the space program's renewed
emphasis on technology and innovation as the underpinning of its
current and future missions, Peck and Gazarik will brief students and
faculty on NASA's Space Technology Research Fellowships Program.

Through the space technology research fellowships, NASA is providing
the nation with a pipeline of highly skilled engineers and
technologists to improve U.S. competitiveness while developing the
intellectual and technological foundation needed for future science
and exploration missions. The program accelerates the development of
technologies originating from academia that support NASA, other
government agencies and the commercial space sector.

NASA Space Technology Fellows perform innovative space technology
research while building the skills necessary to become future
technological leaders. Grants of as much as $60,000 per year provide
funding for U.S. graduate students to perform research on their
respective campuses and at NASA centers and nonprofit U.S. research
and development laboratories.

NASA's Space Technology Program is dedicated to innovating,
developing, testing, and flying hardware for use in NASA's future
science and exploration missions. NASA's technology investments
provide cutting-edge solutions for our nation's future. NASA is
dedicated to ensuring the nation's intellectual capital pipeline
remains the best in the world, and to bringing the brightest minds
together with the best ideas to meet the challenges of NASA's future
missions.

These visits are part of series of ongoing university tours by the
NASA leaders to promote the agency's new technology and innovation
initiatives. Recent visits have included the University of Colorado,
Boulder and the University of Texas El Paso.

For more information about NASA's Office of the Chief Technologist,
the Space Technology Program, space technology fellowships and
complete biographies for Peck and Gazarik, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/oct


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