HESTEC starts today

 EDINBURG - The seventh annual Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology conference starts today at the University of Texas-Pan American and includes a week's worth of activities for students and families through Saturday.

A T. rex Named Sue, a replica of the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex fossil discovered, makes her debut to the general public Monday. She can be seen at the university's visitors center for free through Jan. 4.

Visitors to the campus can also see NASA's Mars Science Laboratory rover on display throughout the week.

This is the first time the newest of NASA's Mars rovers has been seen in Texas. The rover is expected to be launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida in fall 2009 and reach Mars in summer 2010. Once it lands, the laboratory rover will analyze dozens of soil and rock samples, according to NASA.

The week also features keynote speakers from all areas of science and math-related industries. They are:

Magda Yrizarry, vice president of workplace culture, diversity and compliance for Verizon,

Joyce Leavitt Winterton, NASA's assistant administrator for Education

Jose Diaz-Balart, Telemundo news anchor,

Gary R. Heminger, executive vice president of Marathon Oil Corporation,

Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO-AT&T Mobility,

John Esquivel, chief ethics and compliance officer and associate general counsel for Shell Oil Company,

R. David Guerra, president and CEO of International Bank of Commerce in McAllen,

Ben Romero, director of Intelligence for Lockheed Martin's Washington operations, and

William J. Toti, the deputy to the vice president of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems for Raytheon Co.'s space and airborne Systems.

This year's conference wraps up Saturday with Community Day, featuring hip hop artist Baby Boy and Grupo Pesado as headlining acts. UTPA alumnus actor Valente Rodriguez will be the event's master of ceremonies.