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November 10, 2005
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GREGORY OLSEN, A BUSINESSMAN AND NEW JERSEY’S FIRST SPACE TOURIST WILL DISCUSS HIS RECENT SPACE TRIP AS PART OF WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY’S DISTINGUISHED LECTURER SERIES ON NOVEMBER 18, 2005
Space flight by non-astronauts is one of the 21st century’s newest adventures and will be discussed during a lecture by Gregory Olsen, a New Jersey-based businessman and the state’s first space tourist, Eric Anderson, president and CEO of Space Adventures, the company that pioneered space tourism, and Kathryn C. Thornton, a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut. Their address, on November 18, 2005, part of the Distinguished Lecturer Series at William Paterson University, is titled “Space: The Private Citizen’s New Extreme Adventure.”
A limited number of single tickets for the lecture may be available at the Shea Center Box Office on November 14. For ticket availability, and to purchase single tickets, please call the box office at 973-720-2371 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.; prices are $32 standard; $30 for senior citizens and William Paterson faculty, staff and alumni; $10 for William Paterson students; and $14 for students from other schools. The lecture begins at 8 p.m. in Shea Center on campus; parking is free.
Olsen, a New Jersey-based scientist and entrepreneur, who flew into space just last month, is only the third space tourist. He began his flight on September 30, 2005 and returned safely to Earth 11 days later. The trip cost him $20 million to fly aboard a Soyuz spacecraft which took him to the International Space Station and back again. While onboard, he worked alongside Russian cosmonauts and American astronauts, conducting experiments in remote sensing and astronomy. He is co-founder and current chairman of Sensors Unlimited Inc., a company developing optoelectronic devices such as sensitive near-infrared and short-wave infrared cameras.
Anderson is the leading entrepreneur for the commercial space flight, tourism, and transportation industry. After graduating with a degree in aerospace engineering in 1996 from the University of Virginia, he co-founded Space Adventures in 1997 with several former astronauts and leading visionaries from the aerospace, adventure, travel, and entertainment industries.
Thornton was selected by NASA in 1984 and is a veteran of four space flights, in 1989, 1992, 1993, and 1995. She has logged more than 975 hours in space including more than 21 hours of extravehicular activity (EVA). Her work has taken her aboard the space shuttles Columbia, Discovery and Endeavour, performing four space walks, acting as payload commander, and conducting scientific experiments focused on materials science, technology, combustion science, the physics of fluids, among other experiments. She is now a professor at the University of Virginia in the School of Engineering and Applied Science where she also serves as associate dean for graduate programs.
William Paterson's Distinguished Lecturer Series is presented by the William Paterson University Foundation, the Student Government Association and the Student Activities Programming Board. Sponsors for the 2004-2005 season included: Distinguished Partners: Automatic Data Processing; Mercedes-Benz USA; and The Record/Herald News. Benefactors included: BAE Systems CNIR; BP Lubricants USA, Inc.; CIT; Interchange Bank; The Nicholas Martini Foundation; Pfizer; PSE&G; Roche; and the William Paterson Alumni Association. Patrons included: Becton Dickinson, ITT Avionics; JPMorganChase; sanofi –aventis; and Stryker Orthopaedics. Sponsors included: AAA–New Jersey; Bograd's; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Bruce Leeb & Company; CNA; Carole and Mel Cohen; J.H. Cohn LLP; Commerce Bank; Commerce and Industry Association; ConocoPhillips Bayway Refinery; Barbara and Robert Evans; Gerber & Samson; Walter J. Hunziker; Jr., Attorney at Law; McBride Enterprises; Dr. Edward and Mrs. Paulette Meier; North Fork Bank; The Opper Group; Passaic County Educational Council; Paula and Leon Rosenblum; State Farm Insurance Companies; Toshiba American Consumer Products; Trust Company Bank; United Water; United Yarn; Valley National Bank; Verizon; Vornado Realty Trust; Wakefern Food Corporation; Washington Mutual; Willowbrook Management; and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.
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WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY 1855-2005: CELEBRATING 150 YEARS
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