From Newsgroup: sci.space.news

April 20, 2011

Stephen Cole/Michael Braukus 
Headquarters, Washington      
202-358-0918/1979 
stephen.e.cole{at}nasa.gov/michael.j.braukus{at}nasa.gov 

Gina Jackson 
U.S. Agency for International Development, Washington 
202-712-1917 
gjackson{at}usaid.gov   


MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-083

NASA AND USAID TO SIGN AGREEMENT TO TACKLE WORLDWIDE PROBLEMS

WASHINGTON -- Reporters are invited to the signing of a formal 
agreement between NASA and the U.S. Agency for International 
Development (USAID) to promote collaboration on scientific and 
technological solutions to worldwide problems. The memorandum of 
understanding addresses such challenges as global health, climate 
change, food security, and disaster mitigation and response. 

The event will take place in the NASA Headquarters auditorium at 300 E 
Street SW in Washington on Monday, April 25, at 2 p.m. EDT. NASA 
Television and the agency's website will broadcast the event live. 

The participants are: 
Charles Bolden, NASA administrator 
Dr. Rajiv Shah, USAID administrator 
Leland Melvin, NASA associate administrator for education 
Daniel Irwin, scientist, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, 
Huntsville, Ala. 
Josh Nesbit, CEO, Medic Mobile, Austin, Texas 
Dieterich Lawson, chief technology officer, Medic Mobile 
Alex Dehgan, science and technology adviser to the USAID administrator 

Before the signing ceremony, there will be a presentation on two 
NASA-USAID programs, SERVIR and LAUNCH. The SERVIR program integrates 
satellite observations, ground-based data and forecast models to 
monitor and forecast environmental changes and improve response to 
natural disasters in Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, and the 
Himalayas. It helps inform science-based decision-making in the areas 
of climate change, health, agriculture, environment, water, and 
weather. 

LAUNCH is a global initiative to identify and support innovative work 
poised to contribute to a sustainable future and accelerate solutions 
to meet urgent challenges facing our society. NASA, USAID, the 
Department of State, and Nike joined to form LAUNCH in an effort to 
identify, showcase and support innovative approaches to global 
challenges through a series of forums. 

There also will be a question-and-answer session with students from 
area high schools and universities with the NASA and USAID 
administrators. 

For more information on SERVIR, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/servir/index.html 

For more information on LAUNCH, visit: 

http://launch.org/ 

For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, 
visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv   
	
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