Astronaut Wendy Lawrence to Keynote Sally Ride Science Festival at University of Texas at Dallas

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sally Ride Science, ExxonMobil and the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) are teaming up to inspire young women to explore the exciting world of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) at the Sally Ride Science Festival on Saturday, April 6, 2013.

“The Sally Ride Science Festival will show girls that science is fun and offers many rewarding options for future study and careers.”

Presented by ExxonMobil, the Festival will honor Dr. Sally Ride’s legacy of helping “make science and engineering cool.” Dr. Ride, the first American woman in space, founded Sally Ride Science with a mission to educate, engage and inspire all students in STEM. The Sally Ride Science Festival, designed for fifth- through eighth-grade girls, will be held at UTD. This unique event features hands-on workshops, guest speakers, a street fair complete with food, booths and music, and opportunities for girls to learn from inspiring female scientists, engineers and physicians. A festival highlight will be the keynote address by astronaut Wendy Lawrence, veteran of four space-shuttle missions.

“Our partnership with Sally Ride Science and the University of Texas at Dallas will give North Texas students new and exciting opportunities to explore science,” said Suzanne McCarron, general manager of public and government affairs, Exxon Mobil Corporation. “The Sally Ride Science Festival will show girls that science is fun and offers many rewarding options for future study and careers.”

The April 6 event at the UTD marks the ninety-second Festival conducted nationwide since Sally Ride Science, a renowned science-education company, was founded in 2001.

“The University of Texas at Dallas is deeply committed to providing both STEM education and outreach opportunities to underrepresented groups in our community. We are excited to host the Sally Ride Science Festival and help honor the memory of one of America’s great pioneers and role models,” said Dr. Bruce Novak, Dean of the School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics at UTD.

The festival is open to the public and will run from 11 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. Advance registration and payment ($20 per participant) is required. The participant fee includes access to the featured talk, workshops, street fair and lunch. For more information and/or to register, please visit www.sallyridescience.com or call 1-800-561-5161.

In addition to ExxonMobil's presenting sponsorship, the festival's corporate sponsors include Time Warner Cable and Northrop Grumman Foundation.

About Sally Ride Science

Sally Ride Science™ is an innovative science education company dedicated to supporting student interest in science, technology, engineering and math. Dr. Sally Ride, America’s first woman in space, founded the company with a mission to educate, engage and inspire all students. Since 2001, thousands of educators across the nation have utilized our standards-based classroom materials, professional development and cutting-edge classroom programs that bring science to life. Learn more at www.sallyridescience.com.

About ExxonMobil

ExxonMobil is the largest publicly traded international oil and gas company and operates in most of the world’s countries, using technology and innovation to help meet growing energy needs. ExxonMobil holds an industry-leading inventory of resources, is the largest refiner and marketer of petroleum products, and its chemical company is one of the largest in the world.

ExxonMobil engages in a range of philanthropic activities that advance education, health and science in the communities where ExxonMobil has significant operations. In the United States, ExxonMobil supports initiatives to improve math and science education at the K-12 and higher education levels. Globally, ExxonMobil provides funding to improve basic education, promote women as catalysts for economic development, and combat malaria and other infectious diseases in developing countries. In 2012, together with its employees and retirees, Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), its divisions and affiliates, and the ExxonMobil Foundation provided $256 million in contributions worldwide, of which $116 million was dedicated to education. Additional information on ExxonMobil’s community partnerships and contributions programs is available at www.exxonmobil.com/community.