Heinrich To Announce Advancements In Support Of Directed Energy While At Boeing, Highlight STEM Education With Girl Scouts In Albuquerque
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On Wednesday, August 23, 2017, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) will be in Albuquerque to announce major developments in support of New Mexico’s contribution to national defense and to highlight opportunities to strengthen the pipeline for jobs in science and technology.
Wednesday morning at 9:30 a.m., Senator Heinrich will be at Boeing to announce funding he secured to acquire new directed energy systems that supports jobs and boosts New Mexico as a center of excellence in this increasingly important space for our military. Directed energy technologies such as high energy laser and high power microwave systems have incredible potential for practical military uses. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Heinrich has worked over the last several years to increase funding and support for the development of directed energy. He has led efforts to transition directed energy weapon systems, developed in New Mexico by industry, national labs, and research facilities, to programs that help the United States and our allies maintain military superiority.
At 10:30 a.m., following the press announcement, Senator Heinrich will tour a directed energy lab facility at the University of New Mexico to meet researchers and students working in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). In May, Heinrich led a group of bipartisan senators in sending a letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis calling for the implementation of new hiring authorities at Department of Defense labs and test ranges. These hiring authorities enable AFRL to hire directly on college campuses.
Later that afternoon at 3:45 p.m., Senator Heinrich will join troops from Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails to participate in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) project and see what they are learning in the field. Girl Scouts of the USA recently unveiled 23 new STEM badges to encourage girls to earn badges through activities like programming robots, designing race cars and airplanes, creating electronic textiles, and writing code and algorithms.
***Press interested in attending should RSVP to press@heinrich.senate.gov or call (202) 228-1578***
Albuquerque - Wednesday, August 23, 2017
WHO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich
WHAT: Press Announcement at Boeing
WHEN: From 9:30 to 10 a.m. (Media set by 9:15 a.m.)
WHERE: Boeing, Lab 11, 4411 The 25 Way NE, N.M. 87109 (Parking lot is at the South end of the building)
WHO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich
WHAT: Tour of Directed Energy Lab at UNM
WHEN: From 10:30 to 11 a.m.
WHERE: UNM Central Campus, Electrical and Computer Engineering, 211 Terrace Street NE, Building 46, Albuquerque, N.M. 87106
WHO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich
WHAT: STEM Event with Girl Scouts
WHEN: From 3:45 to 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails, 4000 Jefferson Plaza NE Albuquerque, N.M. 87109
