OWEGO, NY, 19-FEB-03 -- More than 150 students and educators from six schools in Tioga County and two in Broome County got a peek at how engineering impacts our lives during the 13th annual Engineers Day at the Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego facility. Held in conjunction with National Engineers Week, Feb. 16-22, Lockheed Martin and the area's Coalition for Better Schools hosted a day filled with math and science challenges. Dozens of Lockheed Martin engineers directed students in hands-on projects to demonstrate how engineers are constantly Turning Ideas into Reality - this year's national theme.

This is a terrific opportunity for us to show our young people how engineering impacts our daily lives and how technology sets the stage for a better future, said Judy F. Marks, the Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego executive who welcomed the students. National Engineers Week is the perfect time to bring students here and give them an idea of the many doors open to them if they pursue a career in engineering.

An electrical engineer and graduate of Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, Marks added, Getting young girls and boys excited about engineering while they are in the eighth grade helps them to focus their studies as they progress through high school and college.

The students participated in team activities ranging from building a truss bridge and flying an aircraft simulator to learning to measure and control environmental noise. Each project sharpened the students' problem-solving skills, while developing their abilities to work and communicate in teams. All of the demonstrations mixed various disciplines in engineering from systems design, software, civil, mechanical, electrical and aeronautics to environmental and safety - to name just a few areas in the engineering field.

Lockheed Martin hosted the event in conjunction with its Coalition for Better Schools, an education partnership for improving education. The Coalition's objective is to improve science and technology education by developing programs that stimulate creativity, team building and problem solving skills in math and science. The Coalition was established with the Tioga County schools in 1990 and continues to grow, recently expanding into Broome County making it a 12-school district education partnership.

Founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers, National Engineers Week is dedicated to increasing public awareness and appreciation of engineers and to encouraging pre-college interest in science, technology and engineering. It is celebrated annually by thousands of engineers, engineering students, teachers and leaders in government and business. This year, the week is co-chaired by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers and Lockheed Martin. Chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin Corporation Vance Coffman proudly serves as the honorary chairman for National Engineers Week 2003. For more information on National Engineers Week, visit its Web site at www.eweek.org.

Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego is a leader in providing advanced-technology products, services and systems integration solutions for defense, civil and commercial customers worldwide. Systems Integration - Owego employs more than 4,200 people at facilities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom and is a business segment of Lockheed Martin Corporation with headquarters in Bethesda, MD.