MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. – Young innovators from across America are invited to solve the challenges of the 21st century by creating breakthrough technologies at the Conrad Foundation’s 2011 Innovation Summit. The Summit will be held at NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., on April 28-May 1, 2011. This year’s categories for team entries are: aerospace exploration, clean energy and cyber security.

Nancy Conrad, wife of the late astronaut Pete Conrad, commander of Apollo 12 and the third man to walk on the moon, will be available for media interviews all day, beginning at 10 a.m. PDT on Friday.

What: 27 finalist teams and their teachers will be joined by well known entrepreneurs, entertainment industry leaders, scientists and government officials for a three-day collaborative forum of student presentations, seminars and workshops. The event concludes with a ceremony awarding the coveted Pete Conrad “Spirit of Innovation Award.”

When: April 28-May 1, 2011

Where: Building 3 in the NASA Research Park at NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. Guards at the main gate will direct reporters to the NASA Research Park.

Who: In addition to the finalist teams, the event features a roster of high-profile supporters including:

Thursday, April 28

– Pete Worden, director, NASA Ames Research Center
– Ozomatli, Los Angeles rock band
– Brad Mattson, founder, chief executive officer and chairman of Mattson Technology and Novellus Systems

Friday, April 29

– Danae Ringelmann, co-founder of IndieGoGo
– Adeo Ressi, entrepreneur, founder of The Funded
– Josh Becker, entrepreneur, chairman of the board, Full Circle Fund
– Vint Cerf, chief Internet evangelist for Google
– Chris Stott, president and chief executive officer, ManSat
– Frank Corsini, chairman and chief executive officer, GIVE Eco Energy
– Steve Visco, director of technology, University of Maine
– Bill Coleman, board of directors, Symantec, Partner Alsop Louie Partners
– Olivia Fox Cabane, personal branding expert, author
– Meagan Campion, STEM education initiatives, Lockheed Martin Corporation
– Lynn Luckow, chief executive officer, Craigslist Foundation
– Tom Cellucci, director of Public-Private Partnerships Division, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
– Tony Conrad, co-founder About.Me

Saturday, April 30

– Edward Lu, former astronaut, former head of Google Advanced Projects, author
– David Eilenberg, head of development and current programming, Mark Burnett Productions – Melissa Campbell, reality television marketing, production and public relations expert – Gary Bahadur, chief executive officer, KRAA Security
– Susan Fonseca-Klein, founding architect, Singularity University
– Jon Fougner, principal, Product Marketing Monetization at Facebook
– Bjoern Tueroque, author, star of Air Guitar Nation, air guitar guru

Sunday, May 1

– Lori Garver, NASA’s deputy administrator

About The Spirit of Innovation Awards The Spirit of Innovation Awards is an annual Conrad Foundation competition challenging students to solve real-world problems by creating commercially viable science and technology-based solutions to global challenges.

For more information about NASA Ames, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ames

For more information about the Conrad Foundation and an updated schedule, visit: http://www.conradawards.org