NASA Astronaut to Speak at University of Texas-Pan American

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Sep 17, 2010, 11:24 ET

HOUSTON, Sept. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA astronaut Dr. Lee Morin will attend the Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology (HESTEC) Week Oct. 2 at the University of Texas-Pan American campus. Morin will give an educational presentation and sign autographs at the NASA Summer of Innovation (SoI) exhibit.

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The goal of the SoI is to encourage learning during the summer and motivate Hispanic youth to reach for the stars by taking an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Although summer is over, the benefits of the SoI program extend to the start of the school year with Morin's participation at HESTEC.

Morin will be available for broadcast interviews from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. CDT Oct. 1, and print media at the University of Texas-Pan American Oct. 2. To schedule an interview with Morin, please contact Tammie Letroise-Brown at 281-483-4942.

Morin graduated from the Western Reserve Academy, Hudson, Ohio, in 1970. He received a Bachelor of Science in mathematical/electrical science from the University of New Hampshire in 1974; a Master of Science in biochemistry from New York University in 1978; a doctorate of medicine and microbiology degrees from New York University in 1981 and 1982, respectively; and a Master of Public Health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1988.

Morin joined the NASA team at the Johnson Space Center in April 1996. He was selected as an astronaut the same year. Morin served on the crew of STS-110 in 2002, and logged more than 259 hours in space including 14 hours of spacewalking time.

This summer, JSC collaborated with several partners in South Texas and Houston to make the SoI program a success. They included the University of Texas-Pan American and Space Center Houston, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston Independent School District (ISD), Galena Park ISD, Dr. Ronald E. McNair Educational (DREME) Science Literary Foundation, Houston Community College Male Minority Initiative and Houston Works USA.

For more information about NASA's Summer of Innovation program, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/soi

For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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SOURCE NASA