Honeywell Hosts 175 Students To Advance STEM In Arizona

PHOENIX, Feb. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell (NYSE: HON) hosted the second-annual Arizona Chief Science Officer technology day and statewide cabinet meeting. The event is designed to inspire interest in technology careers and allow students to work on collective action projects that impact their respective schools and communities. The students were all elected by their peers to serve as chief science officers.

Honeywell Hometown Solutions, the company's corporate citizenship initiative, sponsored the event held in the company's Deer Valley airplane hangar. Students heard from industry leaders about exciting innovations in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. Speakers included Kiah Erlich, Honeywell's director of Flight Services, a female pilot and business leader in charge of Honeywell's aviation software and services, and Jaime Casap, Google's global education evangelist. Casap launched Google Apps and Chromebooks in universities, primary and secondary schools.

The chief science officers (CSOs) also spoke to Honeywell engineers and pilots about aerospace careers and the latest technologies including virtual reality, additive manufacturing, apps for pilots and more.

"It's a privilege to be welcomed back to the Honeywell hangar again for the Arizona SciTech Chief Science Officer technology day and statewide cabinet meeting," said Susan Farretta, director of Educational Initiatives for the Arizona Technology Council Foundation. "This event provides CSO students with direct access to STEM career professionals while exposing them to Honeywell innovations — a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Partnering with industry leaders such as Honeywell is integral in providing students with the opportunity to help shape the future of education in Arizona."

"Honeywell is proud of its role in the CSO program, where we continue to champion the importance of STEM education in young students," Erlich said. "It's an honor to speak to Arizona's smartest and most enthusiastic young minds who are destined to shape the future of America's technical fields."

Each year, students are asked to develop action plans to influence STEM education in their respective communities across Arizona. After attending last year's cabinet meeting and technology event at Honeywell, CSO Sage Foreman was named Kid Science Advisor to the White House. His proposal for the White House was to promote STEM education throughout the U.S. through the creation of a "National Technology Field Trip Day," much like the CSO event he experienced at Honeywell's Deer Valley facility in 2016.

More on the Chief Science Officer Program

The CSO program is a joint initiative of the Arizona Commerce Authority and the Arizona Technology Council Foundation. It welcomes sixth through 12th graders who have been elected by their student peers to represent their school for STEM and innovation initiatives. CSOs serve as a voice for STEM education and identify opportunities for their schools as well as serve as a liaison for STEM in the community. Off campus, students advocate for STEM opportunities through local government and councils. This makes events like the Arizona CSO Statewide Cabinet Meeting an important opportunity to engage in thoughtful dialogue, planning and action.

Honeywell supports the CSO program and its founding organization, the Arizona SciTech Festival, which promotes more than a thousand STEM events across the state. Since the CSO program's creation in 2015, 220 chief science officers have been elected from 120 schools in 32 districts in Arizona.

Supporting Resources

• Learn more about Honeywell Hometown Solutions
• Read more about Honeywell Aerospace on the Follow The Aero blog
• Like Honeywell Aerospace on Facebook
• Follow @Honeywell_Aero on Twitter

About Honeywell Hometown Solutions

Honeywell Hometown Solutions, the company's corporate citizenship initiative, focuses on five areas: Family Safety & Security; Housing & Shelter; Science & Math Education; Humanitarian Relief; and Habitat & Conservation. Together with leading public and nonprofit institutions, Honeywell has developed powerful programs to address these needs in the communities it serves. For more information, visit https://www.honeywell.com/us/en/company/our-communities.

About Honeywell Aerospace

Honeywell Aerospace products and services are found on virtually every commercial, defense and space aircraft, and its turbochargers are used by nearly every automaker and truck manufacturer around the world. The Aerospace business unit develops innovative solutions for more fuel-efficient automobiles and airplanes, more direct and on-time flights, safer flying and runway traffic, along with aircraft engines, cockpit and cabin electronics, wireless connectivity services, logistics, and more. The business delivers safer, faster, and more efficient and comfortable transportation-related experiences worldwide. For more information, visit www.honeywell.com or follow us at @Honeywell_Aero and @Honeywell_Turbo.

About Honeywell

Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; turbochargers; and performance materials. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom.