CONGRESSMAN JOE MORELLE WELCOMES NASA DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR PAM MELROY TO ROCHESTER

(Rochester, N.Y.)—Today, Congressman Joe Morelle welcomed former astronaut and NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy to her hometown of Rochester, New York, for a tour of L3Harris and the Strasenburgh Planetarium at the Rochester Museum and Science Center.

“Our city has a long and proud history of discovery, curiosity, and innovation—and it was an honor to be joined by Deputy Administrator Melroy to see firsthand how companies like L3Harris are working to write the next chapter of this legacy,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “As a life-long lover of learning and our cosmos, today was truly a dream come true, and I’m so excited Rochester can be an intimate part of our country’s next phase of space exploration. I look forward to working with Deputy Administrator Melroy and my colleagues in Washington to build on this legacy and take us bravely where no one has gone before!”

“As a Rochester-native, returning to my hometown to witness the remarkable contributions of companies like L3Harris to the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has been incredibly inspiring,” said Melroy. “Rochester's legacy of innovation in science and technology continues to propel our nation forward in space exploration. I am proud to see firsthand how this community is shaping the future of space science.”

“We’re honored to show NASA Deputy Administrator Melroy our work on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and introduce her to our L3Harris team working on its Optical Telescope Assembly here in Rochester,” said Charles Clarkson, Vice President and General Manager, Imaging Systems, L3Harris. “The Roman Space Telescope will observe billions of cosmic objects to explore how planets, stars, and galaxies form and develop over time and will provide data that could settle some of the most enduring mysteries of the universe.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome distinguished NASA Deputy Administrator and RMSC Changemaker Melroy back to the RMSC Strasenburgh Planetarium,” said Hillary Olson, President/CEO of the RMSC. “Melroy's flight suit is proudly displayed at the Planetarium, symbolizing her dedication to space exploration, aligning perfectly with the RMSC's mission to inspire curiosity, exploration, and engagement across history, science, culture, and the natural world."

As a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, and with a seat on the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS), Congressman Morelle proudly supports funding for programs aimed at scientific and innovative advancements. Key programs and institutions Congressman Morelle advocates for include:

• The Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Program, which creates geographically distributed “regional technology hubs,” focusing on technology development, job creation, and expanding U.S. innovation capacity. Last year, Rochester was designated to be a Regional Technology Hub as a part of the New York Semiconductor Manufacturing and Research Technology Innovation Corridor (NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub);

• The National Science Foundation to support cutting-edge research at institutions like University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology;

• Rochester Institute of Technology’s Battery Prototyping Center to support research, hands-on training, and commercial work to strengthen our battery ecosystem;

• University of Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics to conduct advanced scientific research in inertial confinement fusion.

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