What: On Sept. 21 and Sept. 23, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., will host a pair of industry events highlighting the value and impact of technology innovation and partnerships with small businesses locally and around the country.

On Sept. 21, the Marshall Center will hold its second Small Business Innovation Research & Small Business Tech Transfer Technology Forum. Key Marshall Center personnel will address the value of partnering with small businesses and the impact of technology on NASA’s mission. Three small businesses — UMPQUA Research Co. of Myrtle Creek, Ore.; Precision-Combustion Inc. of North Haven, Conn.; and Combustion Research & Flow Technology Inc. of Pipersville, Pa. — will demonstrate their core technological capabilities and applications for NASA and the space program.

On Sept. 23, the Marshall Center will present its 2010 Industry & Advocates Awards at its annual Small Business Alliance meeting. The awards recognize Marshall and prime contractor small business advocates, Marshall small and large business prime contractors and small business subcontractors to the primes for outstanding work in support of the center and NASA. Businesses vie for the awards by increasing the use of technology, reducing costs or developing new methods and processes — all to benefit NASA’s mission. More than 300 Marshall team members, contractors and industry leaders are expected to attend the meeting and awards ceremony. Marshall’s Small Business Alliance was established in 2007 to help small businesses pursue NASA procurement and subcontracting opportunities.

Who: Speaking Sept. 21: Dr. Andrew Keys, Marshall chief technologist; Byron Butler, director of Marshall’s Office of Procurement; Jim Dowdy, manager of Marshall’s Technology Transfer/Innovative Partnerships Program; and David Brock, Marshall small business specialist.
Speaking Sept. 23: Keys, Brock and Butler.

When/Where: Small Business Innovation Research & Small Business Tech Transfer Technology Forum: Sept. 21, 8:45-11:30 a.m.
Jacobs Conference Center
1500 Perimeter Parkway NW, Suite 100, Huntsville

2010 Small Business Alliance Meeting / Industry & Advocates Award Ceremony: Sept. 23, 7:30 a.m. to noon
Davidson Center for Space Exploration
U.S. Space & Rocket Center, One Tranquility Base, Huntsville

To attend: News media interested in covering the events should contact the Marshall Public & Employee Communications Office at 256-544-0034 no later than 4 p.m. Sept. 20.