Honeywell Brings Nobel Laureate And Its Science And Engineering Initiative To Brno University of Technology

BRNO, Czech Republic, Dec. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell (NYSE: HON) today brought Nobel Laureate George Smith to Brno University of Technology for a two-day program of inspirational exchanges with students and faculty of the university.

The visit, organized by Honeywell Hometown Solutions, marks the third time that Honeywell has brought a Nobel laureate to visit the university. Through its Honeywell Initiative for Science & Engineering (HISE), Honeywell aims to cultivate and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers and provide an opportunity for students to interact with winners of the Nobel Prize in physics and chemistry.

Dr. Smith received the 2009 Nobel Prize in physics for the invention of the charge-coupled device (CCD), which has profoundly advanced image-sensing technology. CCDs are used in a wide range of applications as imaging devices, starting with the replacement of imaging tubes used in commercial TV cameras and camcorders. They are now found in every type of modern imaging device, including cell phones, surveillance cameras, medical imaging, scanners and telescopes, including the Hubble Space Telescope.

During his visit, Dr. Smith shared some of his experiences from his long and distinguished scientific career, and offered students sage advice on how they can best follow their technical and personal goals upon graduation. "If you do not fail at least half the time, you were not being imaginative enough," he told the standing-room-audience of more than 300 students and faculty.

Later he toured the university's laboratory, interacted with students through informal meetings, and met many faculty members.

"We are delighted to host the Honeywell Initiative for Science & Engineering program, which gives students a unique and inspiring opportunity to meet a Nobel laureate," said Karel Rais, Rector, Brno University of Technology. "We've maintained close links with Honeywell on academic exchanges, R&D and talent cultivation, and look forward to continued partnerships through HISE and other programs."

Jiri Tomicek, Vice President & General Manager, Honeywell Technology Solutions, CZ, noted, "As a world-leading, high-tech manufacturing company, innovation is at the core of everything we do, and I believe it holds the key to achieving future growth in Czech Republic. We will continue to work with first-class universities that have rich academic records and strong research capabilities to cultivate new engineers who will go on to become the innovators of their generation."

Through HISE, Honeywell partners with top universities in China, Czech Republic, India, Mexico and other high growth regions to inspire students to pursue careers in science and engineering. The initiative includes a series of lectures by Nobel laureates, career discussions with Honeywell's top engineers in the region, and informal and highly interactive exchanges between the laureates and students. 

Brno University of Technology is one of three Czech Republic universities selected to take part in the HISE program, along with Czech Technical University in Prague and the Technical University of Ostrava. To date, Honeywell has sponsored laureates in Czech Republic seven times. In addition, Honeywell sponsors scholarships and provides intern opportunities for students.

Dr. Smith has been a member of Pi Mu Epsilon, Phi Beta Kappa, and Sigma Xi, and was made a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, Fellow of the American Physical Society, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering. He holds 31 U.S. patents and is the author of more than 40 papers. He received numerous awards for his invention, including the 1999 Computer and Communications Prize, the 2011 Edwin Land Medal, and the 2006 Charles Stark Draper Prize.

About Honeywell Hometown Solutions
The Honeywell Initiative for Science & Engineering program is part of Honeywell Hometown Solutions, the company's corporate citizenship initiative, which focuses on five areas of vital importance: Science & Math Education, Family Safety & Security, Housing & Shelter, Habitat & Conservation, and Humanitarian Relief. Together with leading public and non-profit institutions, Honeywell has developed powerful programs to address these needs in the communities it serves. For more information, please visit: http://citizenship.honeywell.com/.  

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. Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell's shares are traded on the New York, London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges. For news and information about Honeywell, visit www.honeywellnow.com.

Honeywell in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic is the cornerstone of Honeywell's global engineering strategy in Europe. The Prague Laboratory opened in 1993 and the Brno Design Center followed ten years later. In 2006, the Brno Design Center was integrated into Honeywell Technology Solutions' international network of Research, Development and Engineering centers, located in the United States, China, India and Czech Republic. This center provides support to different business divisions -- Aerospace, Automation and Control Solutions and Transportation Systems, on a global level. Honeywell also has two manufacturing sites, with Aerospace in Olomouc and Environmental and Combustion Controls in Brno. More than 4,000 professionals work for Honeywell in Czech Republic.

About Brno University of Technology
Brno University of Technology (BUT, http://www.vutbr.cz) was founded in 1899 in Brno. With more than 24,000 students, BUT is one of the largest universities in Czech Republic covering the whole spectrum of technical disciplines in nearly 160 fields of study. The university promotes interdisciplinary branches such as materials science and engineering, mechatronics, mathematical and physical engineering, ecological engineering, biomedical engineering and medical informatics, industrial design, architecture, and fine arts. BUT received the prestigious European Commission certificate "Diploma Supplement (DS) Label" in 2006, and the "European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) Label" in 2009. Other scientific results achieved within several research fields received high recognition by the worldwide scientific community.

SOURCE Honeywell