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NASCAR Driver to Join NASA Director on April 21 Mining Symposium Panel(Ascribe Newswire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) WHEELING, W.Va., April 18 (AScribe Newswire) -- Phillip Bounds, director of NASA Headquarters' Security Management Division, will join veteran NASCAR driver Brett Bodine for a panel discussion scheduled for the International Mining Health and Safety Symposium, being held April 20-21 at Wheeling Jesuit University and WesBanco Arena. Bounds, who has experience investigating the space shuttle disasters and assisted in the recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina, will be on the panel addressing the topic Dealing with Disaster: An Institutional Approach. Bounds will speak on NASA's approach to disasters. Bodine, a special project manager for NASCAR's R&D staff who holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the State University of New York at Alfred, will discuss the institutional changes NASCAR initiated after several fatal accidents to improve the safety of the sport. The discussion is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 20, at the University's Troy Theater. By combining technologies and approaches to safety from other industries, we can help take mine safety into the 21st century, says J. Davitt McAteer, vice president for sponsored programs at Wheeling Jesuit University, and special advisor to West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin III. NASA and NASCAR have undergone cultural change and made significant technological advances in response to tragedies they have withstood. These two national organizations can serve as role models by using this platform to share their expertise. Having them address such a vital topic as mine safety reinforces the importance of this symposium. The symposium, hosted by Wheeling Jesuit University under the auspices of the National Technology Transfer Center, is the first international gathering of mining industry leaders and safety experts since West Virginia passed landmark mine-safety legislation in January. Panel discussions, featuring a wide range of experts covering key topics, will be held in Troy Theater, while WesBanco Arena will be the site of exhibitor displays and demonstrations. A webcast of the symposium can be viewed on http://www.cet.edu/ntv/mine.ram. The Center for Educational Technologies is producing the webcast through its facilities on Wheeling Jesuit's campus. The site goes live at 9 a.m., April 20. - - - - NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, or to receive press credentials to cover the event, contact Steven Infanti of the NTTC at 304-243-2308 or [email protected] |