JACKSON, Miss., March 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) will host the fourth annual Information Technology (IT) Day at the Jackson Convention Complex on Friday, March 30 to increase IT education and awareness, as well as to encourage networking and collaboration in industry, academia and the community. The day-long event, which runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., is free of charge and open to the public.

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The 2012 IT Day theme is "Forecast the Future" and will feature an expanded agenda. Attendees are invited to participate in educational sessions including business collaboration via cyber security, mobility, cloud computing and big data.  The agenda also features a panel of industry experts discussing topics such as big data and cloud computing; a seminar on how to do business with Lockheed Martin; and a workshop on growing your business.

"We are honored to host IT Day once again this year," said MacArthur DeShazer, director, Small Business Development, Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Solutions (IS&GS).  "We opened a state-of-the-art Mission Support Center in nearby Clinton six months ago, so this event allows us to increase our presence in this community and region—one that we value based on its outstanding talent, economic partnerships and wealth of academic resources."

The IT Day luncheon will feature a keynote address by Stephen S. Pawlowski, senior fellow, chief technology officer for the Datacenter and Connected Systems Group, and general manager for Datacenter and Connected Systems Pathfinding for Intel Corporation. Pawlowski will speak on Intel's vision of what the rapid evolution of cloud computing will look like in 2015 and also will take questions from the audience.

More than 800 area high school and college students will participate in the IT Day program, as well as compete in sponsored quiz bowl challenges. These events, in partnership with Jackson State University and Tougaloo College, are designed to increase the students' knowledge and interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) subjects, as well as provide them with a look at what's happening in the IT industry.  The educational track sessions have been expanded based on feedback from area high schools, colleges and universities.

"JSU is delighted to partner with Lockheed Martin in sponsoring the IT Day STEM Bowl," said Rita Presley, associate vice president for Research & Sponsored Programs, Jackson State University. "We will provide an important opportunity for area high school students to compete in solving a unique challenge. This event encourages the students to think outside the box, which is an acute skill needed to foster technology innovation."

A vendor expo will be open throughout the day, showcasing technology and services from more than 50 local and national IT vendors and academic partners. The expo provides a unique opportunity to network and exchange information in a more relaxed setting. Attendees will be able to experience Lockheed Martin's innovations such as its Human Immersion Laboratory— an advanced technology virtual reality and simulation laboratory that offers cost effective, unique collaborative solutions for exploring and solving customer specific missions; insight on how to harness new capabilities through nanotechnology; iPhone Rapid Prototyper—a Lockheed Martin-designed tool to make smartphone development easy for the masses; and a variety of touch-screen displays. Additionally, an entertaining robot named Sprockit will make an appearance again this year to provide a light-hearted connection to technology innovation. Lockheed Martin recruiters also will be on-site to share information about jobs in the Mississippi area.

For more detailed event information, visit http://www.itdaymississippi.org.

Lockheed Martin opened a 33,000-square-foot Mission Support Center in 2011 in Clinton, Miss., to support diverse mission and technology services that the corporation provides to federal agencies. This facility also establishes Lockheed Martin's Gulf Coast Technology Hub, which partners with existing East and West Coast Technology Hubs to offer innovative cloud computing, cyber security, big data and mobile computing solutions to federal customers.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 123,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's net sales for 2011 were $46.5 billion.

For additional information, visit http://www.lockheedmartin.com

SOURCE Lockheed Martin Corporation