NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis addressed a group of approximately 50 graduate students and graduate student program administrators at the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) in Hampton, Virginia.

Image Right: Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis addresses NIA graduate students.

Congresswoman Davis accepted the invitation from the AIAA Student Chapter located at NIA Headquarters to meet its members, students in the NIA graduate and Langley Aerospace Research Summer Scholars (LARSS) programs and other summer interns. She shared insight into the current political environment and the importance of increased funding for aeronautics in the United States. Davis then answered numerous student questions regarding congressional views of NASA, the current budget and how program funding is being prioritized.

"It was a wonderful opportunity to meet with Congresswoman Davis and hear her feelings and vision for the nation's aerospace research and educational programs," commented Kristina Zaleski, AIAA Student Chapter Chair and masters student from North Carolina State University.

Congresswoman Davis represents the 1st District of Virginia in the U.S. House of Representatives, which includes NIA and NASA Langley Research Center. Many of her constituents work at NASA and the numerous military installations in the Hampton Roads area. She is recognized as being a strong supporter of NASA Langley Research Center. Many of these programs currently fund the graduate research assistantships offered to NIA graduate students.

NIA is a research and graduate education institute formed by a consortium of research universities to ensure a national capability to support NASA's mission by expanding collaboration with academia and leveraging expertise inside and outside NASA. NIA performs research in a broad range of disciplines including air traffic systems, aviation safety, flight systems, material and structures, space exploration, and atmospheric sciences. The institute's graduate program offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in the fields of engineering and science through its university partners: Georgia Tech, Hampton University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina State University, the University of Maryland, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Old Dominion University, and the College of William & Mary. The LARSS Program encourages high-caliber undergraduate students to pursue and earn graduate degrees and to enhance their interest in aerospace research by exposing them to the professional research resources and facilities of Langley Research Center.

For more information about the National Institute of Aerospace, visit their website at http://www.nianet.org

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