SANTA CLARA, Calif., 28 June 2008. Nvidia revealed that Commander Eileen Collins, former test pilot, astronaut, and space shuttle commander, will speak at NVISION 08.
NVISION 08, which takes place on August 25 through 27 in San Jose, Calif., is a three-day event for professionals and enthusiasts who are passionate about visual computing. Thousands of engineers, designers, developers, researchers, artists, enthusiasts, business professionals, and consumers from around the world are expected to attend.
Rob Csongor, vice president of marketing, says: "As both the first woman space shuttle pilot and first woman space shuttle commander, Ms. Collins is a unique pioneer and expert on space exploration and scientific discovery initiatives. From exploring Mars, to understanding how the universe is evolving, to moving beyond the space shuttle to the next-generation Orion spacecraft, our NVISION 08 attendees will be fascinated to hear and see Commander Collins's view on how visual computing technologies are transforming next-generation space initiatives and strategies."
An accomplished pilot with more than 6,751 hours logged in more than 30 different aircraft, Eileen Collins has gained numerous accomplishments, awards, and honors. In February of 1995, she became the first woman pilot of a space shuttle. In July of 1999, she became the first woman to command a shuttle mission.
Her final mission came in July 2005 when she commanded Space Shuttle Discovery's "Return to Flight" mission. This mission was NASA's first manned flight after the loss of the shuttle Columbia in 2003. As a veteran of four space flights, Collins has logged over 872 hours in space.
After retiring from NASA in May 2006, Collins accepted a position on NASA's Advisory Board where she remains active in a variety of programs.
