First African-American Woman in Space to Deliver Colorado State University Diversity Conference Keynote Oct. 3

Colorado State University will present Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space, as keynote speaker for the 2006 Diversity Conference. Jemison will speak at 7 p.m. Oct. 3 in the Lory Student Center Main Ballroom on campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The sixth annual conference, "Diversity in the 21st Century: Preparing the Workforce," is Oct. 3-5 and will be held in the Lory Student Center.

As the first woman of color to orbit Earth aboard the space shuttle Endeavor in 1992, Jemison will share stories from her life as a trailblazer. Now the founder and president of two technology companies, this dynamic woman will talk about her amazing accomplishments.

Jemison has been a chemical engineer, medical doctor, astronaut, professor, Area Peace Corps Medical Officer in West Africa, lecturer and entrepreneur. She is dedicated to promoting widespread science literacy and the design and development of sustainable technologies for the benefit of everyone around the world.

Most recently, Jemison is building a new business, BioSentient Corp., a medical technology company that develops and markets mobile equipment worn to monitor the body’s vital signs and train people to respond favorably in stressful situations. Originally designed to control motion sickness, BioSentient’s technology presents significant opportunities across a wide spectrum of health and human performances areas.

The 2006 Diversity Conference will feature a lineup of speakers who have a powerful influence on advancing cultural diversity in America, including Jemison, and Henry Cisneros, who served as secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1993 to 1997 under President Bill Clinton. Cisneros also will provide a keynote address for the Diversity Conference on Oct. 4.

The conference also offers workshops for the public and high school students on a variety of topics as well as university dialogues on immigration issues. It is designed to address multiple issues for varying audiences, including topics on race, ethnicity, gender, the multi-generational workforce and sexual orientation.

For more information about the conference, visit the Web at diversity.colostate.edu.

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