NOTE TO EDITORS AND NEWS DIRECTORS: News media representatives are invited
to a panel discussion and tour of NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field,
CA., on May 16, 2001. Ames scientists will demonstrate some of their
current research projects. In addition, center researchers and managers
will discuss issues of particular relevance to the Asian and Pacific
Islander community following the tour. The tour will begin at 8:00 a.m.
PDT. To ensure participation in the event, contact Victoria Kushnir at
650/ 604-0176.

In May, NASA’s Ames Research Center is celebrating Asian and Pacific
Islander Heritage month. As one aspect of the celebration, Ames is
welcoming media representatives to the center in the heart of California’s
Silicon Valley to learn about current NASA research and cutting edge
technologies under development.

Media representatives will have the opportunity to speak with center
scientists and managers who will share their experiences of working at NASA
and discuss contributions made by the Asian and Pacific Islander community
to space science research and technology development.

This event the a first of its kind at Ames designed to specifically reach
out to diverse minority news media groups that represent and serve a large
percentage of the San Francisco Bay Area population. NASA and Ames are
determined to ensure that America’s national space program involves,
represents and is accessible to all citizens. To that end, the agency and
the center are committed to breaking down the traditional barriers –
language, socioeconomic and cultural, among others – that prevent universal
access and participation.

“An important thrust of our present campaign is to reach out to minority
media organizations, so that we can better serve and reach audiences whose
members may not have received our information on as wide a basis as we
would like,” said Ames’ Chief of Communication David Morse. “We intend to
ensure that all of our citizens and media organizations enjoy equal access
to information about NASA missions, programs, facilities, goals, people and
accomplishments.”