Wayne State University, in partnership with NASA's Glenn Research Center of Cleveland, Ohio, and the Detroit Public Schools, will dedicate a new aerospace laboratory for elementary and high school students Saturday, November 17at 10:30 am. Wayne State President Irvin D. Reid; Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick; and Jo Ann Charleston, chief of the office of educational programs at Glenn; will speak at the dedication.

"The Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace Academy [SEMAA], is an exciting weekend and summer program for students in grades K-12. It provides a curriculum designed to stimulate young students' curiosity, creativity and intellectual development. The students are motivated by pride in the association with NASA's and Wayne State's name, and the sheer fun and excitement of working with high-tech equipment such as a flight simulator that lets them experience the flight of the space shuttle," said President Reid.

The ceremony will be held on the first floor of the Old Main Building at the southwest corner of Warren and Cass, and will be followed by a reception.

"The Aerospace Academy is an important part of our community outreach effort. Participation in the Academy encourages our community's grade school and high school students to explore science, mathematics and aeronautics with the help of instructors from Detroit Public Schools, Southfield Public Schools and metro Detroit charter schools," said Dean Robert L. Thomas, of Wayne's College of Science. Wayne State's new SEMAA laboratory was built and equipped with a combination of university and NASA funds for about $100,000; it is part of a nationwide network of similar programs across the country co-sponsored by NASA.

The hands-on program, free to the participating students, consists of three eight-week Saturday morning sessions starting in October, January and March2001-2002. The sessions, which will be held Saturdays from 9am to 12 noon, feature distinct curriculums for each grade level, ranging from "Rocketeers, "where kindergarteners will explore dressing and eating while traveling in space, to SEMAA internships that allow high-school seniors to explore their own interests through individualized curriculums.

"NASA is excited about this partnership with Wayne State University and the commitment to the SEMAA program it has shown by locating the program in the College of Science," said Jo Ann Charleston of NASA Glenn. "With the addition of this site, there are now 16 SEMAA sites nationwide. In the last year, the SEMAA program served and impacted over 17,000 students and parents, and we are pleased to be a partner in offering this program to the students and parents of the Detroit area."

Visitors will be able to tour the new lab and see the equipment after Saturday's ceremony. Prospective students and parents will have an opportunity to talk to the program's administrators. For a program application call Katherine Braziel, SEMAA administrator at (313) 577-3209.

Wayne State University is a premier institution offering more than 350 academic programs through 14 schools and colleges to more than 30,000 students in metropolitan Detroit.