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National Center for Simulation:
Terri Bernhardt, 407.883.5181, teresambernhardt@gmail.com
Dolly Rairigh Glass, 407.797.7851, drg1000@msn.com
Lou Frey Institute:
Marcia Bexley, 407.425.7083, mabexley@gmail.com
Orlando, FL. Sept. 12, 2013 – The National Center for Simulation (NCS) announced today that Lockheed Martin is a presenting sponsor for the 20th anniversary kick off symposium event, Simulation: Evolutionary Past; Boundless Future, on Monday, Sept. 30 at the UCF Student Union Pegasus Ballroom. The symposium, in partnership with The Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government at the University of Central Florida, is the second of two symposiums hosted by the Institute semi-annually and draws about 500 high school students from across Florida.
“This is the 22nd Frey Institute symposium and we are pleased to collaborate with NCS,” said Congressman Lou Frey. “This symposium is focused on making our young people more aware of the modeling, simulation and training industry cluster located in Orlando/Central Florida and to get them excited about pursuing a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and pursuing a simulation career.”
Students attending the symposium will hear from leading government and industry experts and be able to interact with technology displays to learn about, see and use various simulation approaches to solve important problems and issues.
“Lockheed Martin has been a steadfast member of the Central Florida community for over 57 years,” said Jon Rambeau, Vice President and General Manager for Lockheed Martin Training and Logistics Solutions. “It takes a united community to recognize the power of STEM education and we are committed to working together with our partners to ensure simulation and training continues to thrive.”
Simulation is no longer only aimed at the military. It impacts many industries including education, entertainment, healthcare, serious gaming and transportation. According to the NCS, the local industry employs more than 27,000 people with an average salary close to $70,000. Furthermore, over the past 48+ years, Central Florida has earned national, as well as international recognition for its synergy and collaboration between government, academia and industry, creating a model that other communities can emulate.
“Simulation is not only important to this area, but to our Country and our ability to compete abroad,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. (ret) Thomas L. Baptiste, President and Executive Director at NCS. “A major high tech economic driver in Florida, the MS&T industry cluster contributes about $5 billion to Florida’s gross state product annually.”
Baptiste said NCS and the Lou Frey Institute are still seeking additional sponsors for the Sept. 30 symposium, which will be preceded by an evening reception on Sept. 29 for sponsors and special guests, including Keynote Speakers Senator Bill Nelson and Congressman John Mica. Other committed sponsors joining Lockheed Martin are Cubic, Orange County Convention Center, Lowndes Drosdick Doster Kantor & Reed, P.A, Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, Fairwinds Credit Union, Intelligent Decisions, SIMETRI, The Aegis Technologies Group, Inc., Parsons, SunTrust, Engineering and Computer Simulations, Productivity Apex, Cushman & Wakefield of Florida, Inc., StrategyONE Services, LLC, Florida High Tech Corridor Council, CSC, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, Riptide Software, Dignitas and BB&T.
Companies or individuals interested in participating through sponsorship and attendance at the Sept. 29 reception should contact the National Center for Simulation at 407-384-6111.
About National Center for Simulation:
NCS is a non-profit trade association whose vision is to be the recognized leader in supporting and expanding the modeling and simulation community. As an organization, NCS is committed to promoting modeling and simulation technology expansion, supporting education and workforce development, and providing business development support to its members. www.simulationinformation.com
About The Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government at the University of Central Florida:
The Lou Frey Institute promotes the development of enlightened, responsible, and actively engaged citizens. The Institute works to accomplish its mission through civic education programs that encourage thoughtful debate and discussion about current policy issues and through experiential learning programs that encourage the development of civic and political skills. It also works to help strengthen the civic education capacity of Florida’s k-12 education system through research, policy analysis, and advocacy. www.loufreyinstitute.org.
