30th annual Distinguished Speakers Series blasts off with twin astronauts Mark Kelly, Scott Kelly

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Astronauts Mark Kelly and Scott Kelly will open the University at Buffalo’s 2016-17 Distinguished Speakers Series with a talk at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22, in Alumni Arena on the UB North Campus.

Twin brothers Mark Kelly, commander of two NASA shuttle missions, and Scott Kelly, the first U.S. astronaut to spend a year in space, are the subjects of NASA’s groundbreaking Twins Study, which monitored Scott from space and Mark on the ground as a control model to better understand how space affects the human body.

Lecture sponsor is the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

During their program, audio and/or video photography, as well as still photography, will be limited to the first five minutes of their lecture. The Kellys are expected to begin speaking at approximately 8:10 p.m.

Working media may reserve tickets for the program by contacting Cory Nealon in the UB Office of Communications at 645-4614 or email no later than noon on Thursday, Sept. 22. Reserved tickets may be picked up at the will-call window in Alumni Arena prior to the program. Media may need to show press credentials in order to be admitted to the program.

Onsite press arrangements: Marcene Robinson at 716-207-5814.