MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. – NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., will welcome more than 500 guests, including an international cadre of students and faculty from nearly 40 countries for the International Space University and Singularity University Opening Ceremony on June 29, 2009. The ceremony will be held in the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts and will feature a multimedia celebration of space.
Co-hosted by the International Space University (ISU), Strasbourg, France and the Singularity University (SU), Moffett Field, the evening event will feature a musical act, multimedia presentations and speakers to welcome the students of ISU’s 22nd annual Space Studies Program and the inaugural class of the SU Graduate Studies Program to NASA, Silicon Valley and California.
While the Opening Ceremony is by invitation only, NASA will hold a Space and Technology Showcase in the Civic Center Plaza in Mountain View, Calif., with more than 30 interactive demonstrations. Featured will be Ames’ innovative contributions to science, aeronautics, space exploration, sustainability and dozens of commercial and academic groups and ISU sponsors. The showcase is free and open to the public.
News media planning to attend the Opening Ceremony should contact Rachel Prucey at 650-604-0643 before 5 p.m. PDT, Friday, June 26, 2009, for credentials.
WHAT: An opportunity to attend a gathering of the next generation of space entrepreneurs, scientists and engineers as they begin their summer academic tracks at ISU and SU at NASA Ames. An exhibit highlighting NASA technology will also be featured.
WHO: Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the SETI Institute, Mountain View, Calif., as well as host of the institute’s radio show, “Are We Alone?” will be the master of ceremonies. A list of speakers appears below. Other guests in attendance include Ray Kurzweil, inventor and SU chancellor; Angie Bukley, site director of the 2009 ISU Space Studies Program and ISU’s associate dean; Steve Brody, vice president of North American Operations for ISU; Joyce Winterton, assistant administrator for the Education Office at NASA Headquarters, Washington; and Doug Comstock, director of the Innovative Partnerships Program at NASA Headquarters.
WHERE: Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts (MVCPA), 500 Castro Street, Mountain View, Calif. The Space and Technology Showcase will be held in the Civic Center Plaza adjacent to the MVCPA. Free parking is available in the Mountain View Civic Center garage, located directly under the MVCPA on Mercy Street. Additional parking is available in the adjacent Bryant Street lot and in the parking structure on the corner of Bryant and California streets.
WHEN: Monday, June 29, 2009. All times listed are in PDT: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Science and Technology Showcase
Abridged Opening Ceremony Schedule
– 4:30 p.m.: Early media access
– 5:30 p.m.: Guests arrive
– 6 p.m.: Grand opening ceremony begins
– 6:20 p.m.: S. Pete Worden, director of Ames
– 6:23 p.m.: Charles Scales, NASA’s associate deputy administrator
– 6:40 p.m.: Tony Spitaleri, mayor of Sunnyvale, Calif., and Margaret Abe Koga, mayor Mountain View, Calif.
– 6:44 p.m.: Bella Gaia multi-media performance.
– 7:03 p.m.: Peter Diamandis, space entrepreneur and co-founder of ISU and SU
– 7:08 p.m.: Michael Simpson, president of ISU
– 7:30 p.m.: Ceremony concludes, guests depart.
– 7:30 – 8 p.m.: News media interview opportunity.
For more information about the International Space University, visit: http://www.isunet.edu
For more information about the Singularity University, visit: http://singularityu.org
For more information about NASA’s Ames, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ames
For information about NASA’s Education programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/education
Rachel Prucey Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
650-604-0643/650-930-6149
rachel.l.prucey@nasa.gov
Steve Brody
International Space University, Washington
202-997-4910
brody@isu.isunet.edu
Denise Vardakas
Singularity University, Moffett Field, Calif.
650-483-5083
denise@theconversationgroup.com
