APOLLO 15 COMMAND MODULE PILOT AL WORDEN TO VISIT FAIRFORD SCHOOLS IN CONJUNCTION WITH ROYAL INTERNATIONAL AIR TATTOO

U.S. astronaut, scientist and innovator will promote STEM education during visits to Kemble Primary, Fairford Primary and Ogden Trust

U.S. astronaut, scientist and innovator will promote STEM education during visits to Kemble Primary, Fairford Primary and Ogden Trust

Fairford, UK and Waldwick, NJ, USA/July 5, 2018 — Apollo 15 Command Module Pilot, Col. Al Worden, USAF-Ret., will land in the Fairford community on 12 July as an advocate for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. His visit is in conjunction with the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT), which he will be attending for the first time on 13 and 14 July.

During presentations to Kemble Primary School, Fairford Primary School and the Ogden Trust, Worden hopes to excite and encourage students to pursue engineering careers. His program will feature highlights of his 1971 mission to the Moon, followed by question-and-answer sessions with students and teachers. His visit with the Ogden Trust will include parents with the aim of raising science capital within the local community.

“The Fairford and Gloucestershire communities know well that STEM subjects are the fundamental tools of the trade for future exploration on Earth and in space, in any field or profession,” said Worden. “Of course, with RAF Fairford and RIAT in their backyard, students here have the unique experience of seeing first-hand every day how STEM translates from their classrooms into careers in flight.”

Worden’s tour is being produced by Kallman Worldwide, Inc., organizer of the USA Partnership Pavilion at the Farnborough Airshow since 1996, with the support of General Atomics Aeronautical, Gulfstream, Lockheed Martin and the RAF Charitable Trust.

“We’re excited to introduce Col. Worden to Fairford and RIAT to share his experiences with students, teachers, families and flight enthusiasts of all ages,” said Kallman Worldwide President, CEO and former United States Air Force F-15 pilot, Tom Kallman. “At the core of our tradeshow company, we’re fans, too, and especially in this 100^th year of the Royal Air Force, this corner of the United Kingdom is a ‘bucket-list’ destination for everyone who loves aviation.”

STEM education is an important focus of the RIAT experience for children and families, says Sandra Keen, coordinator of the event’s Techno Zone hands-on learning attraction and Junior Engineering Challenge. Col. Worden will serve as a guest judge of Challenge finals at RIAT on 13 July. He will also make scheduled appearances in the Techno Zone during the show.

“In order to pursue engineering careers in aviation or any profession, children need to be actively interested in the sciences before they make their GCSE choices,” said Keen. “The Techno Zone is designed to fuel their passion and spark their imagination. We are so proud to have Col. Worden with us this year to represent the ultimate achievements of a career that starts with STEM.”

Worden says he is likewise proud to make the connection for future explorers, especially with a manned mission to Mars on the horizon, and multiple public- and private-sector stakeholders around the world competing for the prize.

“As an international community of explorers, we are going to Mars together,” said Worden. “The big question is: Are there enough of us to get the job done? Are we exciting enough young people to become not only aerospace engineers, but also doctors, chemists, architects, agronomists and all of the other professions we’re going to need to live on Mars?”

The answer, he admits, is, “Not yet. When you consider the decades of rigor and discipline it’s going to take to successfully put people from Earth on Mars, and that getting to Mars is just one of the countless engineering challenges we face on our own planet today, we need to pick up the pace,” Worden said. “The pipeline for STEM talent can handle a lot more volume!”

REGISTER FOR MEDIA COVERAGE
With permission, media may cover Col. Worden’s presentations to Fairford Primary and the Ogden Trust beginning at 2pm on Thursday 12 July. Contact Jodie Lea @ jlea@fairford.gloucs.sch.uk for details and registration.

ABOUT KALLMAN WORLDWIDE, INC.
Export with purpose. Exhibit with confidence. Kallman Worldwide is an export marketing advocate focused on helping U.S. businesses capitalize on international trade shows and events to grow their share of global markets. Since 1963, Kallman has helped more than 10,000 companies, associations and government agencies stand out at nearly 1,000 industry and professional events in 46 countries. The company is a strategic partner of the U.S. Department of Commerce, and a proud recipient of the President’s “E” Award. Kallman is headquartered in Waldwick, NJ, and staffs a Latin America office in Santiago, Chile. For more information visit www.kallman.com

ABOUT THE ROYAL INTERNATIONAL AIR TATTOO
The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) is the world’s largest military airshow and is staged annually at RAF Fairford in support of the RAF Charitable Trust. For information visit www.airtattoo.com

MEDIA CONTACTS

For Fairford Gloucestershire Schools
Jodie Lea
jlea@fairford.gloucs.sch.uk

For the Royal International Air Tattoo
Richard Arquati
richard.arquati@rafcte.com

For Kallman Worldwide
Chris Meyer
chrism@kallman.com

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