HONEYWELL TO INSPIRE NEXT GENERATION OF PROGRAMMERS AND SCIENTISTS AT THINK SCIENCE FAIR 2018

• Global technology leader to engage UAE youth in robotic challenges aimed to promote interest in Science, Technology and Innovation
• Six UAE-based teachers selected for the Honeywell Educators at Space Academy program at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Alabama, USA

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 11, 2018:  Honeywell (NYSE: HON), a premier software-industrial company, is set to engage the UAE’s next generation of scientists and engineers on key concepts in software programming, robotics and virtual reality at the Think Science Fair 2018, taking place at the Dubai World Trade Center April 16 to 18.

Launched in 2012 as an Emirates Foundation initiative, the “Think Science” program aims to support, encourage and empower the youth of the UAE to embrace a future in the fields of science, technology and innovation (STI). 

As a Think Science sponsor in partnership with Emirates Foundation for the third year running, Honeywell will empower youth to embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution by encouraging them to pursue an education in the fields of STI in response to a growing demand for scientific talent.

Honeywell will encourage students to join in a series of programming challenges and robotics activities during the three-day event.

Aspiring engineers and scientists of the future will also have the chance to experience immersive virtual reality (VR) technology, and learn about Honeywell’s portfolio of connected solutions in an engaging and informative way. 

Norm Gilsdorf, president, Honeywell, Middle East, Russia, Turkey & Central Asia, commented: "Honeywell is committed to empowering the next generation of scientists and engineers with the skills they need to solve tomorrow's problems.

We are proud to be a sponsor of Think Science, a program that cultivates the curiosity, intellect, and skills of thousands of youth.

We believe that inspiring the next generation will accelerate the UAE’s technology ambitions, and will position the country as a technology and innovation leader in the years to come.” 

The Foundation’s CEO Maytha Al Habsi, added: “At Emirates Foundation, we strongly believe that innovation is the future and continuously emphasize the importance of creating a conducive and enabling environment for Emirati youth to showcase their innovations in science and technology, develop their knowledge and analytical thinking, and empowering them to become active participants in finding groundbreaking solutions to local and global technological issues.

It is through strong and sustainable partnerships such as the one we have with Honeywell that we are able to inspire, encourage and celebrate youth across the UAE and support them to turn their ideas into tangible products and services ready for potential incubation and adoption by potential investors.”

Honeywell sending six UAE-based teachers to Space Camp

At Think Science, Honeywell will also honor six UAE-based teachers in a special ‘Flight Suit Ceremony’ ahead of their participation in the Honeywell Educators at Space Academy (HESA) professional development program, to be held at a NASA training facility in June 2018.

The teachers will join hundreds of others from around the world who underwent a rigorous, global, competitive application process to secure a seat at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center (USSRC) in Alabama, USA, for an all-expenses paid, weeklong program that aims to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.

The objective of the unique program is to enable teachers to inspire their classrooms with ideas, lessons and other materials to create an unforgettable learning experience for students in the UAE and around the world. In 2017, four UAE-based teachers took part in the HESA program. 

Honeywell's involvement with Think Science is supported by Honeywell Hometown Solutions, the company's corporate citizenship initiative, which has helped inspire more than two million students at all grade levels worldwide to embrace STEM education.

Introduced in 2004, the HESA program has graduated more than 2,776 teachers from 62 countries and 52 US states and territories, reaching more than three million students around the world.