2013-01-29 21:16:45 - Dublin, January, 29, 2013–Dr Mae Jemison gave a talk this morning on the benefits of science to the students of St Declans secondary school, Cabra, Dublin 7.

Dr Jemison, the first woman of colour to go into space, who served six years as a NASA astronaut and flew aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, STS-47 Spacelab J mission in 1992, was in Dublin this morning presenting the importance of science to children. Dr Jemison was also there to invite 10 students to the upcoming European science conference, “EU Science: Global Challenges, Global Collaboration” (ES:GC2) to be held this March in Brussels.

ES:GC2, hosted at the European Parliament in association with the Irish Council Presidency, is a weeklong conference starting on March 4th, 2013, in Brussels which will bring together science policymakers, scientists and industry representatives from five continents and will place EU research at the centre of the

international response to global challenges.

Dr Jemison will convene the space plenary at the conference which will focus on the 100 Year Starship initiative, a project that aims at making interstellar travel a reality in the next 100 years. During this plenary, the focus of the discussion will be centred around the importance of the grand challenge of interstellar travel to push both R&D and societal benefits here on Earth.

The conference takes place at a time when many research ideas and project proposals are being put forward. Its purpose is partly to increase international participation in Horizon 2020 (Europe’s next research framework programme) and maximise Europe’s contribution to global science cooperation. ES:GC2 aims to bring together potential research partners from five continents with the goal of positioning Europe as a hub for global R&D collaboration.

For more information about the conference please follow this link www.globalsciencecollaboration.org, Twitter: @ESGC2

For more information about the 100 Year Starship: www.100yss.org

For further information contact:

Jessica Hadjis
ISC Intelligence in Science
Tel: +32 (0)2 88 88100
GSM: +32 487163107
media@iscintelligence.com
www.iscintelligence.com