SPARKS, Nev. (Feb 7, 2023) – Eren Ozmen, chairwoman and owner of Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), has been named Honorary Chair of World Space Week (WSW) 2023. As Chair, Ozmen will encourage global support for this year’s WSW celebration, held 4-10 October, and for World Space Week Association, which globally coordinates the event.
“Eren Ozmen is the perfect role model for the next generation of students and young professionals, who want to start their own businesses and launch their own careers in the space sector. We are incredibly honored that she accepted the role of Honorary Chair and are excited to work with her and her team on promoting WSW 2023 and this year’s theme, Space and Entrepreneurship”, said Maruska Strah, WSWA Executive Director.
“It is a true privilege to be named the honorary chair of World Space Week 2023,” said SNC Chairwoman and Owner Eren Ozmen. “Inspiring the next generation to dream beyond what is possible today is incredibly important to me. I am honored to support WSW Association in their important mission to shine a light on the important role space plays on humanity and our future.”
The annual UN-declared World Space Week is the largest space event on Earth. In 2022, it was celebrated in over 90 countries with over 10,000 events and earned over 40 million Twitter impressions. Events are held primarily by space-related organizations and schools.
Known for her tenacity and drive, Eren is the business mastermind behind SNC’s extraordinary growth and continued success to become recognized as the Top Woman-Owned U.S. Aerospace & Defense Company.
Eren began working for SNC shortly after receiving her MBA, later acquiring the company in 1994. Under her leadership, SNC grew from a small high-tech start up with just a handful of employees into a trusted, award-winning, global leader in aerospace and defense. In 2021, Eren and her husband Fatih launched Sierra Space, an independent commercial space company from the space capabilities within SNC.
Over the years, Eren has received many prestigious awards and recognition including being named among the Top 10 of “America’s Most Successful Self-Made Women” and on the inaugural “50 Over 50” list by Forbes. Eren was also recognized as one of the Top 15 Most Influential Women in Aerospace by Business Insider. She has received numerous industry awards including the BENS Eisenhower Award, the NDIA James Forrestal Award and the Service to the Flag Award from Women in Defense. Eren also served on the board of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Eren’s vision for making a positive impact extends well beyond the walls of her companies. In 2022, SNC launched a Women in STEM scholarship to support the next generation of women as they chase their dreams. Through the Ozmen Foundation, she supports a variety of causes including STEM initiatives and cancer-related medical research. She also founded the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship and the Ozmen Institute for Global Studies at her alma mater, the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). Ozmen also received an honorary doctorate from UNR in 2016.
For information about this year’s celebration of World Space Week, visit www.worldspaceweek.org and follow #WSW2023 on social media.
Sierra Nevada Corporation
SNC is a trusted leader in innovative, advanced technology solutions and open architecture integrations in aerospace and national security. Best known for its unique mission applications, SNC creates customized solutions for the world’s most pressing technology challenges in the fields of aviation, national security space, electronic warfare, command and control, mission systems and inline cybersecurity. SNC is owned by Chairwoman Eren Ozmen and CEO Fatih Ozmen. In 2021, SNC announced the transition of its Space Systems business area to an independent commercial space company, Sierra Space.
About World Space Week
The largest space event on Earth, UN-declared World Space Week is celebrated October 4-10 annually. It is an international celebration of the contribution of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition. World Space Week consists of a myriad of space-related events held by space agencies, aerospace companies, schools, planetaria, museums, astronomy clubs, and others in a common timeframe to achieve greater student and public impact through synchronization.
About World Space Week Association
World Space Week Association is the global coordinator of World Space Week. International non-government, non-profit organization, the Association is a permanent observer on the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. It is supported by voluntary contributions of sponsors including Sierra Space, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Viasat, Astroscale, SES, Thales Alenia Space, Airbus. The Association, founded in 1982, is one of the world’s oldest space advocacy organizations.
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