More than 800 area elementary and middle school students will be treated to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see and visit with an experienced National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Shuttle astronaut who grew up in their own backyard.  Karen Nyberg, a graduate from the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Engineering and Mines (SEM) Department of Mechanical Engineering, will show a presentation about her shuttle mission and will talk about her childhood dream of becoming an astronaut.

A student from each school will be invited to ask a question and every student will receive a lithograph of Nyberg and other souvenirs of the event. The event will be held Friday, Oct. 2 at 9:30 a.m. in the UND Memorial Union Ballroom.  A press conference for area media will be held immediately following the presentation at 10:20 a.m. in the Badlands Room of the Memorial Union.

At a young age, Karen Nyberg knew her goal was to become an astronaut. Nyberg a native of Vining, Minn., pursued her goal by enrolling at the UND School of Engineering and Mines, graduating in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.  At age 22 she received a patent for work done on the Robot Friendly Probe and Socket Assembly, and by 2000, Nyberg was working with a team of fellow NASA engineers and astronauts as a mission specialist.

In 2007 Nyberg was notified she had been chosen for her first spaceflight aboard the space Shuttle Discovery. On May 31, 2008, her goal of becoming an astronaut was realized when she stepped aboard the space Shuttle Discovery and became the 50th woman in space.

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The UND School of Engineering and Mines is a fully accredited engineering program offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in civil, chemical, electrical, energy, environmental, and mechanical engineering, with undergraduate program concentrations in biomedical, computer and aerospace engineering. The School emphasizes its teaching mission while supporting a wide variety of innovative research in the areas of sustainable energy, distance learning, aerospace payload development, remote sensing, engineered surfaces, and hydrogen fuel cell technologies.

Peter Johnson
Executive Associate Vice President for University Relations and Media Relations Coordinator
Office of University Relations
University of North Dakota
 (701) 777-4317
peterjohnson@mail.und.nodak.edu
www.und.edu/news

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