back to news index

 print version

 view news archive

Date: Monday, Oct. 18, 2004

Schedule: 10:30 a.m. MDT Student Science Activities

11:20 a.m. MDT Lunch with an Astronaut

1 p.m. MDT NASA Explorer Schools Presentation

2:40 p.m. MDT Media Opportunity

Who: NASA Deputy Assistant Administrator for Legislative Affairs Angela Phillips Diaz and astronaut Steve Swanson Where: Kenneth Carberry Intermediate School, Emmett, Idaho

"As NASA moves forward in its quest to explore Mars and beyond, it's important for us to energize and excite the next generation about the possibilities," said Diaz. "We must create learning environments that will nurture the first human beings, from all segments of our society, who will become explorers of the Earth, Moon, Mars and beyond."

The NASA Explorer School program provides opportunities for schools, administrators, students and their families to partner with NASA to improve student learning; to participate in authentic experiences with NASA science and technology; to apply NASA science, mathematics and technology knowledge to real-world issues and problems; and to participate in special events and other opportunities.

"Being chosen a 2004 NASA Explorer School has been such a rewarding and exciting experience already for me personally and as a principal," said Linda McKie, principal of Kenneth Carberry Intermediate School. "I see so many opportunities available to our students, staff and parents that would not be there otherwise. Our students will literally be able to 'shoot for the stars' with the experiences they will have over the next three years and for many years to come."

Angela Phillips Diaz was appointed NASA's deputy assistant administrator for legislative affairs in February 2004, after serving the agency in various NASA management positions. She has served as NASA's deputy associate administrator for education, assistant associate administrator for policy and plans in the Office of Space Flight, director of the Human Space Flight and Research Division in the Office of External Relations and a lead negotiator for a crew code of conduct for the International Space Station. Diaz earned a bachelor's degree and a master's of Business Administration degree from Marymount University, Arlington, Va. In 2002, she graduated from the advanced management program at the Harvard University Business School, Boston.

Steve Swanson joined NASA in 1987 as a systems engineer working on the Shuttle Training Aircraft, used to train pilots how to land the space shuttle and was selected for the astronaut corps as a mission specialist in 1998. Swanson holds a bachelor's degree in engineering physics from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a master's degree in computer systems from Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Fla. In 1998, he earned a doctorate in computer science from Texas A&M; University, College Station, Texas.

News media representatives interested in attending the NASA Explorer School visit or interviewing Diaz and Swanson in conjunction with their visit to Kenneth Carberry Intermediate School should contact Jonas Dino of NASA Ames at 650/207-3280 by 3 p.m. PDT, Sunday, Oct. 17. All news media representatives will be required to sign in at the school's main office prior to entering the campus.

For information about the NASA Explorer Schools Program, visit:

http://explorerschools.nasa.gov

For more information about the Vision for Space Exploration, go to:

http://www.nasa.gov/missions/solarsystem/bush_vision.html

For information about NASA, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov