The Student Veteran Association of Columbus is open to any veteran taking courses at the College of Technology at Columbus, Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus or Ivy Tech's Columbus campus, said Jack Head, assistant director of the Purdue College of Technology at Columbus.

The seminar will take place at the Columbus Learning Center, 4555 Central Ave. The speaker will be Bruce Broman, Director, PMA Educational Foundation and WorkingSolutions who has managed numerous high-profile projects dealing with industrial skill standards, employee selection and advancement systems, certification and credentialing programs, traditional and innovative apprenticeship programs, and curriculum/training design, and development.

For more information, visit www.indiana.pma.org  

The Indiana National Guard welcome home celebration will be 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Lucas Oil Stadium. The event is for Indiana Guard service members from the Air Force and the Army who have returned from deployment during 2008. Approximately 4,000 service members and their families are expected to attend.

The inaugural regional Pete Conrad Spirit of Innovation Awards ceremony was held Nov. 22 at the Columbus Learning Center and hosted by the College of Technology at Columbus and TMG Labs Inc.

The competition encourages high school students to create commercial products using science and technology. The goal is for students to create innovative products, produce viable business plans and be presented with opportunities to bring their ideas to market. This competition provides students with the ability to network with scientists, university professors, world business leaders, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs.
 
Nancy Conrad of the Conrad Foundation, Brian Tanner of Space Port Indiana, Tim Morris of Raytheon, Ron Geier of the Indiana Space Grant Consortium/NASA, and NASA representatives were guests at the awards ceremony.

The competition includes platforms in personal spaceflight, lunar exploration and renewable energy. Teams will compete for more than $120,000 of prize money and connected with leading scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs. No money will be awarded until the projects are completed and submitted, said assistant location director Jack Head.
 
Space Port Indiana is working to create five teams for the competition throughout the state, which is divided into five regions. Currently, there are four teams from Indiana and two of them were at the kickoff event. Teams from Homestead and New Castle Chrysler high schools were in attendance. Terre Haute and Columbus North high schools also have teams.

Space Port Indiana provides military, commercial customers and educational institutions with low-cost access to airspace up to and including the near-space environment. It also offers educational outreach programs to students in K-12 and college an opportunity to explore engineering and aerospace sciences as a career choice. Technology Management Group Inc., based in Carmel, Ind., provides launch services and personnel to Space Port and has funded the Space Port complex in Columbus.

For additional information, see the Space Port Web site

Michael O'Hair, associate dean for engagement in the College of Technology, received the Indiana Project Lead the Way Service Award and the Bell Ringer Award during the Project Lead the Way guidance counselor conference held Dec. 9 in Indianapolis.

The PLTW award, which is presented jointly by the Indiana Department of Education, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development and Purdue, is given to those who provide outstanding service to Indiana education. Also

receiving the award was Suellen Reed, Indiana superintendent of public instruction.

The Bell Ringer Award, the highest education award given by Indiana, honors those who make significant contributions to schools in the state. Richard Blaise, founder and vice president for state and corporate relations for the national Project Lead the Way, also received a Bell Ringer Award.

The inaugural regional Pete Conrad Spirit of Innovation Awards ceremony was held Nov. 22 at the Columbus Learning Center and hosted by the College of Technology at Columbus and TMG Labs Inc.

The competition encourages high school students to create commercial products using science and technology. The goal is for students to create innovative products, produce viable business plans and be presented with opportunities to bring their ideas to market. This competition provides students with the ability to network with scientists, university professors, world business leaders, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. 

Nancy Conrad of the Conrad Foundation, Brian Tanner of Space Port Indiana, Tim Morris of Raytheon, Ron Geier of the Indiana Space Grant Consortium/NASA, and NASA representatives were guests at the awards ceremony.

The competition includes platforms in personal spaceflight, lunar exploration and renewable energy. Teams will compete for more than $120,000 of prize money and connected with leading scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs. No money will be awarded until the projects are completed and submitted, said assistant location director Jack Head.

Space Port Indiana is working to create five teams for the competition throughout the state, which is divided into five regions. Currently, there are four teams from Indiana and two of them were at the kickoff event. Teams from Homestead and New Castle Chrysler high schools were in attendance. Terre Haute and Columbus North high schools also have teams.

Space Port Indiana provides military, commercial customers and educational institutions with low-cost access to airspace up to and including the near-space environment. It also offers educational outreach programs to students in K-12 and college an opportunity to explore engineering and aerospace sciences as a career choice. Technology Management Group Inc., based in Carmel, Ind., provides launch services and personnel to Space Port and has funded the Space Port complex in Columbus.

For additional information, see the Sport Port Web site at http://www.tmglabs.com/Index/spaceport_indiana.php

The reception will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Westin Hotel in Indianapolis. Registration for the event is due by Friday. RSVP to Jodie Daugherty, jdaugherty@btlaw.com. For details, go towww.womenandhitech.org.

Gail Farnsley, visiting professor in Purdue's department of computer and information technology, has been a member of Women & Hi Tech since 2002.

"There are women from many different companies, backgrounds, and disciplines among the group, " she said. "What we have in common is our shared passion for what we do and a desire to support and help each other. A particular benefit is the opportunity to meet women outside of academia. I see many opportunities for partnerships."

Purdue holds a membership to Women & Hi Tech, so faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to attend any of the group's events. "I especially enjoy their programs on personal and professional development," said Farnsley, who was formerly vice president of IT and chief information officer at Cummins Inc. "Many women in Women & Hi Tech have been excited that I joined Purdue as they are interested in what's going on in academia."

The organization was formed in 2000 to serve women in central Indiana and to encourage more women to consider careers in technology through networking, role modeling, education and professional development.

The event will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Columbus Learning Center.