WASHINGTON, March 21, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA is expanding its reach to the nation's growing Spanish-speaking population by holding its first-ever Google+ Hangout en Espanol from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. EDT, Thursday, March 28.

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As part of Science4Girls, a NASA initiative to partner with libraries during National Women's History Month, participants will be able to learn more about the life and career of two prominent Hispanic women at NASA.

During this event, Earth scientist Erika Podest and principal investigator and systems engineer Michela Munoz Fernandez, both of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., will share their stories. They will answer participants' questions about the path they took to get to NASA, what they do, why it matters, and how to become a part of the space program.

"NASA has many truly inspiring Spanish-speaking role models," said event organizer Laura Delgado Lopez of the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies' (IGES). "This is the first of what we hope will be many more opportunities for Spanish-speaking students and their families to engage with them and learn more about what NASA does and why it's so important."

During the event, several questions will be selected and answered by Podest and Munoz, along with questions from library patrons and other participants. NASA's social media followers will be able to submit questions before or during the event via the NASA en Espanol Google+ page or via Twitter @NASA_Es using the hashtag.

Those who submit questions can watch the hangout live on the NASA en Espanol Google+ page or the NASA Television YouTube channel to see whether their question is asked.

To watch the hangout, and for updates and opportunities to participate in upcoming hangouts and other events in Spanish, visit the NASA en Espanol Google+ page:

http://go.nasa.gov/15nL2DX

To join the hangout, and for updates and opportunities to participate in upcoming hangouts in English, visit the NASA's Google+ page at:

http://www.google.com/+NASA  

Women@NASA is a continuing joint effort by NASA and the White House Council on Women and Girls to relate science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, fields to young females. To learn more about Women@NASA and the speakers, visit:

http://women.nasa.gov/spanish

IGES leads the NASA Earth Science Education and Public Outreach Forum and collaborates with a national community of education and outreach professionals to promote NASA science. IGES also works with the Women@NASA initiative annually to promote women in Earth science careers during Female Geoscientists Day.

To learn more about NASA's broader education program, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education

SOURCE NASA