•New National Geographic documentary and companion education program to promote water stewardship
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 15, 2007 -- ITT Corporation today announced a multi-faceted partnership with National Geographic to raise awareness of global water issues. The cornerstone of the partnership is ITT's support of the episodic television series, National Geographic's "Strange Days on Planet Earth." ITT is the primary sponsor of the 2008 series, which will investigate the scale of the current water crisis and explore potential solutions. It is scheduled to premiere in April on PBS stations nationwide. In conjunction with the program, ITT and National Geographic will produce a companion educator's toolkit designed to educate and engage students across the United States.
"ITT is dedicated to addressing the world's water issues by harnessing its technology, expertise and passion to engineer solutions while raising awareness through support of non-governmental organizations," said Gretchen McClain, president of ITT's fluid technology business. "Our hope is that this association with National Geographic will lead to greater understanding of the underlying issues that must be addressed, advance the dialogue regarding potential solutions, and encourage our leaders to take action."
National Geographic's "Strange Days on Planet Earth" is a two-part television series, hosted by actor and environmental activist Edward Norton, that transports viewers to the remote front lines of research where investigators are struggling to identify connections among some of the most bizarre scientific mysteries of the day. The clues are leading researchers to the furthest reaches of the world's water supply, which are the subject of the first part of the series, "Dangerous Catch," and the next hour, "Dirty Secrets." The series is scheduled to debut in March during the 2008 Environmental Film Festival in Washington, D.C. in advance of its PBS premiere the following month.
The education program will target middle school students by incorporating concepts from the "Strange Days on Planet Earth" series into an educator packet of teaching activities, as well as supporting print and electronic materials for the classroom. The program will be made available to subscribers of the National Geographic Society's monthly educator newsletter. In addition, 10,000 printed educator packets will be distributed through National Geographic's Geography Alliance Network -- a national grassroots network of motivated educators serving as ambassadors who champion geographic education and understanding. Additional packets will be distributed to ITT employees to use in classrooms in their own communities.
"Education is at the heart of National Geographic's mission. In that spirit, we have developed captivating content with 'Strange Days on Planet Earth' and the accompanying educator activities that promises to engage and empower teachers, students and the public to actively seek solutions to the world's water issues," said Stephen Reverand, senior vice president, National Geographic Television. "In ITT we have found a partner that shares our vision and dedication for engaging the world around us on the pressing environmental issues that are having a dramatic impact on our planet."
The sponsorship was announced at the Water Environment Federation's Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference in San Diego, Calif.
National Geographic's "Strange Days on Planet Earth" is produced by Sea Studios Foundation in collaboration with National Geographic Television.
ITT Corporation supplies advanced technology products and services in several growth markets, including water and fluid transport, treatment and control technology.
The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations.
Sea Studios Foundation, a next-generation media company dedicated to raising awareness of all the ways human life is entwined with the natural environment and motivating action.
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