NASA to Be in Attendance at University of Texas-El Paso

HOUSTON, Jan. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The University of Texas-El Paso (UTEP),will kick-off the official recognition of UTEP's Center for Space Exploration Technology Research on Feb. 3. The center was recently funded by NASA under a University Research Center (URC) agreement.

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UTEP was one of six minority universities that received funding to establish multi-disciplinary engineering and scientific research that will contribute to NASA programs. UTEP will receive up to $1 million per year, up to five years based on availability of funds and performance.  

NASA will also exhibit at UTEP's Engineering Week, Feb. 9-11, that follows along with National Engineering Week.  NASA will have the opportunity to speak to pre-college students, teachers and parents invited to attend the Engineering and College Expo. UTEP has participated in National Engineering week since the 1980s to promote engineering careers with students and teachers.

NASA will participate in the following events:

• Feb. 3
  • 4 p.m.-6 p.m. Kick-off reception of new University Research Center
  • 7 p.m. Astronaut Danny Olivas to sign autographs in Haskins Center
  • 8 p.m. UTEP vs. UH Cougars basketball game starts. Half-time, Olivas presents presentation board to URC students on behalf of NASA.
• Feb. 9-11
  • 10 a.m.-7 p.m. NASA exhibit at Engineering Week. Deans from around the nation and El-Paso area high school students will be on campus participating in various activities. NASA Lunar Lander game kiosk, and touchable items such as a shuttle tile, helmet, space suit glove, and space food are among some of the items to see at the exhibit.
  • 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Concurrent sessions. NASA will have an information session for URC students, Student panel, and NASA student programs overview.

"We're thrilled to visit UTEP's campus for the URC Kick-Off and return for their Engineering Week!  Not only will we learn more about UTEP's implementation of green propulsion and in-situ resource utilization through their URC, we'll have opportunities to connect with UTEP students and faculty to share information about our programs," said Janelle Holt, JSC/Minority University Research and Education Program (MUREP) Manager.

NASA continues the agency's investment in the nation's education programs. It supports the agency's major education goal of attracting and retaining students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines that are critical to future space exploration.

For more information about NASA and it's educational programs:

www.nasa.gov

SOURCE NASA