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Astronaut set to inspire young engineers to aim for the stars ; SCIENCE SHOW: Spaceman to address 2,000 via live video link from Bordeaux [Derby Evening Telegraph (England)](Derby Evening Telegraph (England) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) AN astronaut is set to be the star attraction at an event in Derby aimed at inspiring the next generation of engineers. NASA space mission veteran Jean-Francois Clervoy has been confirmed as a guest speaker at the 2014 Graduate Engineer and Science Show, which is to take place at Derby College's Roundhouse on Wednesday, October 29. But he will not be addressing an expected audience of 2,000 engineering and science students, graduates, teachers and lecturers in the flesh. Instead, he will be speaking from Novespace in Bordeaux, France, via live video link on a giant screen inside the Roundhouse. He will talk about his experiences on three NASA space missions in the 1990s, twice aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis and once one Discovery. He will then take questions from the audience where he will not only talk about his experiences living in space but also working as a flight test engineer. Over the course of his career, Jean-Francois has travelled 11 million miles, clocked up 675 hours in space and also space-walked. He also holds three NASA Space Flight Medals and two NASA Exceptional Service Medals. He is a member of the ESA Astronaut Corps at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. He is also chairman of Novespace and is supporting the human spaceflight programme. David Reeks, director at show organisers, Derby-based GSE Media, said: "Jean-Francois is a remarkable man. "What he has achieved in his life so far is awe-inspiring and I think if anyone can demonstrate the just how much you can achieve through studying STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects, then speaking to an astronaut is about as good as it gets. We will be honoured to have Jean-Francois speaking live at the show and I think he will be the key conversation topic about visitors and exhibitors during the day and for some time afterwards. It's not every day you get to speak to an astronaut," he added. The Graduate Engineer and Science Show was held for the first time last year at the Roundhouse and was a big success, attracting 1,800 engineering students and newly-qualified graduate engineers from more than 60 universities and colleges. The aim was to match the brightest minds with Britain's top engineering companies. Some of Derby's big manufacturing names exhibited, such as Rolls- Royce, Toyota and Bombardier. But such was the draw of the event that many other major firms from outside the county were represented, including oil giants Shell and BP, aircraft manufacturer Airbus, car-maker Jaguar Land Rover and engineering and electronics firm Siemens. Mr Reeks said: "The Graduate Engineer and Science Show was incredibly successful when we ran it for the first time in 2013 and we were looking to make the 2014 equally inspirational." Entry to this year's show is free but tickets must be booked in advance by visiting www.thegraduateengineershow.co.uk (c) 2014 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved. |