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ASTRONAUT JIM VOSS TO SPEAK TO AUALL GENERAL MEETING SEPT. 15

Voss, recently named associate dean for external affairs in AU's Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, will speak to the Auburn University Academy of Lifelong Learners.

AUBURN — James Voss, a retired Army colonel, veteran of five space flights, who has logged 201 days in space, including four space walks and 163 days aboard the International Space Station, will speak to the AUALL general meeting Sept. 15.

The meeting will take place in ballroom B of the Auburn University Hotel and Dixon Conference Center at 10 a.m. Coffee will be served in the prefunction area at 9:30 a.m. The meeting is free and open to the public.

"We are very pleased to have such a distinguished Auburn University graduate back on our campus," said Mary Burkhart, AUALL director.

"AUALL is looking forward to hearing from Col. Voss about his experiences as an astronaut and with NASA."

Voss, who graduated from Opelika High School and earned his bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering from AU in 1972, plans to speak about his time aboard the International Space Station.

"Living in space is such a unique experience, and I enjoy telling interested people about the daily life there as well as the wonders of spaceflight and views of our Earth," said Voss.

The former astronaut also plans to discuss his reasons for returning to Auburn.

"I'm here to give back to an institution that had so much to do with the success I experienced in my career in our nation's space program," said Voss.

"I want to help the Dean of Engineering, Dr. Larry Benefield, achieve the vision of moving Auburn Engineering into the top 10 colleges in the U.S., and at the same time share my spaceflight experience with young engineers in the classroom," Voss said.

"I hope my spacecraft design class will inspire the next generation of explorers and some Auburn engineers will go to work in our space program after graduation," he added.

AUALL is a member of the Elderhostel Institute Network, an international association of more than 275 Institutes for Learning in Retirement affiliated with Elderhostel Inc. Since its organization in 1990, AUALL has enjoyed more than a decade of success and growth, from a handful of members to almost 250. It is supported by annual membership fees.

For more information on AUALL call the Auburn University Outreach Program Office at 844-5165 or visit the website at http://www.auburn.edu/outreach/auall.

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For more information
. . . about this topic:
CONTACT: Mary Burkhart, 334-844-3102
burkhmq@auburn.edu

. . . About this release:
CONTACT: Diane Clifton, 334-844-5117
cliftsh@auburn.edu