Technology Transfer program executive and Innovation Office director Daniel Lockney will hold public lectures discussing NASA’s technology portfolio and the agency’s Space Race partnership with the Center for Advancing Innovation (CAI).

The events are:

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CST, March 9, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces,
10 a.m. to noon, March 10, Tech de Monterrey, Technology Institute, Juarez, Mexico
2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., March 10, University of Texas, El Paso

"Media are invited to attend and should contact Gina Anderson at 202-306-5289 orgina.n.anderson@nasa.gov no later than 5 p.m. on March 8," read the NASA statement.

NASA has a long history of finding new, innovative uses for its space and aeronautics technologies. Lockney, who grew up in the El Paso region, will discuss the process of moving these technologies from the launch pad and laboratory into the hands of the public and how local business can access this wealth of technology for commercial and research applications.


The challenge will feature NASA inventions from the fields of: medical devices; robotics; unmanned aerial vehicles; optics and imaging; power generation, distribution, and storage; and advanced materials coatings.

Lockney also will explain NASA’s role in Space Race, a global competition designed to bring commercially viable, NASA-developed technologies to market. It provides competing teams access to patented NASA technology as well as business mentoring. Winning teams also will have access to significant seed funding provided by a third-party venture fund for start-up businesses.

Teams, which require at least two undergraduate, graduate or post-doctoral students, accepted into the challenge will have the opportunity to receive training through CAI’s accelerator program and network with CAI mentors, advisors and judges. Teams must enter by March 27 to participate. Up to ten finalists will be selected, and may be awarded between $100,000 and $1.2 million in start-up funding.