For immediate release                                                                                                                                                          Contact: Karen Ahearn

February 22, 2005                                                                                                                                                                 Communications Manager

                                                                                                                                                                                           412-481-7320

                                                                                                                                                                                           kahearn@assetinc.org

ASSET Inc. 10 th Anniversary Celebration slated for April 14th
at Heinz History Center

PITTSBURGH — (February 22, 2005) — ASSET (Achieving Student Success through Excellence in Teaching) Inc. will hold its 10th Anniversary Celebration in the new Sebastian Mueller Education Center of the Sen. John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center on Thursday, April 14th.

Dr. Attila Molnar, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bayer Corporation , a founding partner, is chairing the event which will recognize ASSET 's decade-long impact on science education reform throughout the region. Additionally, ASSET will present its first ASSET Award for Educational Commitment and Leadership to Westinghouse Electric Company .

“We're excited and feel honored that the Westinghouse Electric Company has agreed to accept this first ASSET Award,” said Dr. Reeny Davison , Executive Director of ASSET Inc. “Westinghouse shares ASSET 's mission and has long been a leader locally and nationally in programs designed to promote and recognize excellence in education, especially in science.”

The evening's featured speaker will be Dr. Mae C. Jemison, former NASA astronaut and crew member of the space shuttle Endeavour. The first woman of color to go into space, Dr. Jemison is the founder and president of two technology companies and also serves as Bayer Corporation's national science literacy advocate.

In addition, DUQ 90.5 FM is the media sponsor of ASSET 's 10th Anniversary Celebration. The celebration is open to the public. A reception will begin at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 7 p.m. For sponsor and/or ticket information, please call ASSET at 412-481-7320.

About ASSET Inc.:

ASSET Inc. is an independent, nonprofit education reform initiative dedicated to continuously improve the abilities of teachers with initial efforts in K-8 science and technology education. Established by Bayer Corporation and other community partners in 1994, ASSET currently provides K-8 standards-based science materials and teacher professional development programs that directly impact 3,000 teachers and 63,000 students in 45 school districts, charter and private schools. Students in more than 180 ASSET member schools across Western Pennsylvania experience standards-based learning materials using an inquiry approach and are taught by teachers who receive professional development directly linked to the curriculum.

The largest program of its kind in the state, ASSET is the only one of 22 educational reform programs originally funded by the National Science Foundation that has achieved operational self-sustaining status.

About Dr. Mae C. Jemison:

Mae C. Jemison blasted into orbit aboard the space shuttle Endeavour, September 12, 1992 , the first woman of color to go into space. Now, founder and president of two technology companies, the space flight was just one of a series of accomplishments for this dynamic woman. Dr. Jemison also serves as Bayer Corporation's national science literacy advocate.

Dr. Jemison served as a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut for six years. As the science mission specialist on the STS-47 Spacelab J flight, a US/Japan joint mission, she conducted experiments in life sciences, material sciences, and was a co-investigator of the Bone Cell Research experiment. Dr. Jemison resigned from NASA in March 1993.

In 1994, Dr. Jemison founded and chairs The Earth We Share Ô (TEWS), an annual international science camp where students from around the world, ages 12 to 16, work together to solve current global dilemmas, like "How Many People Can the Earth Hold" and "Predict the Hot Public Stocks of The Year 2030." The four-week residential program builds critical thinking and problem solving skills through an experiential curriculum.