REDONDO BEACH, Calif., April 11, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Executives from Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) challenged science and math teachers from across the country last Friday to continue feeding the imaginations of children to keep the nation competitive in engineering and science.
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"Developing a love for science and math starts in grades K-12," pointed out Alexis Livanos, president of the company's Space Technology sector. "You are preparing the next generation of professionals that will lead our country's defense and science communities."
About 45 educators who attended the National Science Teachers Association conference in Anaheim last week visited Northrop Grumman Space Technology on Friday. The event was part of the company's extensive and ongoing support for science and math education, designed to boost the numbers of children choosing careers in engineering and science by helping "teach the teachers."
They enjoyed a special tour of the James Web Space Telescope (JWST) and the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). A hands-on teaching tools workshop followed where they learned how to make tornados and teach how a telescope works. A lunch and a question-and-answer session with Livanos concluded the day.
"You play an extremely important and valuable role," Livanos emphasized, "because you are developing the minds that will create the next JWST and NPOESS."
The group was welcomed by Peggy Nelson, vice president of mission assurance and chief engineer for Northrop Grumman Space Technology, who gave examples of the many fields engineering careers encompass and related how she became interested in engineering. "In the 7th grade, I had a teacher who believed girls could be good in math and science," she told them. "What you do has a profound effect on others' lives."
The teachers were full of questions as they toured the full-scale model of JWST and saw a graphic demonstration of the information gathered by NPOESS. They also appreciated the 38-page booklet they received to help re-create the workshop demonstrations.
"This was just fantastic," said Carol Jessen, team lead at Arrowhead Elementary, a NASA Explorer School in Phoenix, Ariz. "There are so many teaching tools I can take back to my kids and they can improve on them and add their own ideas."
Hopefully their enthusiasm for science and math will influence their career choices. In the words of Peggy Nelson's 13-year old daughter, "You do really way cool stuff, Mom."
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense company headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif. Northrop Grumman provides technologically advanced, innovative products, services and solutions in systems integration, defense electronics, information technology, advanced aircraft, shipbuilding and space technology. With approximately 125,000 employees and operations in all 50 states and 25 countries, Northrop Grumman serves U.S. and international military, government and commercial customers.
