OREANDA-NEWS. March 01, 2016. To celebrate National Engineers Week (“E-Week”) 2016, Lockheed Martin’s (NYSE: LMT) Central Florida facilities have been coordinating robotics competitions, trivia challenges, site visits and other hands-on activities to engage more than 3,400 local students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

E-Week, Feb. 21-27, provides an opportunity for students across the United States to focus on engineering and STEM education. Lockheed Martin recognizes the nation’s critical need for future STEM leaders and hosts E-Week activities every year to inspire students to get more involved in STEM.

“Our Lockheed Martin employees thrive on developing innovative technologies that solve some of the world’s most difficult challenges,” said Tom Mirek, technical operations and applied research vice president at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “This year’s E-Week activities, as well as year-round projects like Engineers in the Classroom, provide students with glimpses of real engineering work. With these hands-on activities, we are inspiring our next generation of engineers and technologists.”

Throughout the week, students have been touring Lockheed Martin’s Central Florida businesses. More than 300 local high school students have been participating in robotics challenges to determine which of their robots best performed interactive challenges. Lockheed Martin engineers mentored participating students for eight weeks prior to the robotics challenges by providing feedback on their designs and guiding them through applicable engineering principles.

“As an industry leader, Lockheed Martin is committed to developing programs that educate and inspire tomorrow’s scientists, engineers and mathematicians,” said Bob Kilmer, training and logistics solutions vice president of engineering and technology at Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training. “We know firsthand the importance of educating our young people in these areas. Our future success – and our nation’s technological advantage – depend on highly trained, highly capable technical talent.”

Lockheed Martin’s STEM support in Central Florida also includes sponsorship and mentorship for 15 FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics competition teams, the Lockheed Martin/YMCA Technology Center and the University of Central Florida’s STEM teacher education program.

For additional information, visit our website: www.lockheedmartin.com.

About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that – with the addition of Sikorsky – employs approximately 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.