WASHINGTON, May 18, 2012 — (PRNewswire) — NASA Chief Technologist Mason Peck will join agency and Ohio officials to name nine small and medium-sized Ohio manufacturers that will receive NASA assistance to solve technical problems with new or existing products. The news conference will be held Wednesday, May 23, at 11 a.m. EDT at the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network (MAGNET) headquarters, 1768 E. 25th St. in Cleveland.

The news conference also will feature Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, Cuyahoga County Executive Ed Fitzgerald, and NASA's Glenn Research Center Director Ray Lugo. This initiative is part of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy's "Strong Cities, Strong Communities" effort. The partnership was developed as a local "Adopt a City" program.

NASA is committed to providing 400 hours of technical assistance from its science and engineering work force to offer potential solutions to the selected companies for specific technical challenges they are facing with a new or existing product. In addition to access to NASA experts, the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County are making $450,000 in low interest rate loans available to the companies to help with costs associated with participation in the program.

For more information about NASA's Office of the Chief Technologist and a biography of Peck, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/oct

SOURCE NASA

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