PUNE, India: Honeywell (NYSE: HON) yesterday introduced Professor David Gross, Nobel laureate in Physics, to the students and faculty of College of Engineering, Pune, India, as part of its global Honeywell Initiative for Science & Engineering (HISE). 

Professor Gross is among 22 Nobel laureates that Honeywell has sponsored at universities worldwide since 2006.  The event marks the tenth time a Honeywell program has been delivered to a university in India, and the third time the program has taken place at the College of Engineering, Pune. Over the years the program has benefitted thousands of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) students and teachers across the country.

Gross was awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of 'asymptotic freedom' in nuclear interactions in 1973, which proved that as particles move closer to other particles, the nuclear force between them becomes so weak that they behave almost as free particles. This discovery established quantum chromodynamics (QCD) as the correct theory of the strong nuclear force, one of the four fundamental forces in Nature. The other forces are gravity, electromagnetism, and the weak nuclear force. 

With more than 1,500 students in attendance, Gross delivered a lecture on quantum mechanics, a theory that describes the behavior of matter and energy at subatomic and atomic scales, and quantum field theory, which is an extension of quantum mechanics.

"Quantum field theory has proven to be the most successful theoretical framework in the history of physics," Gross told the students and faculty during his lecture.  "It can be used to calculate the mass of any particle in nature, regardless of its size, including your body weight."

Afterwards, students engaged in a lively discussion with the laureate, asking many questions and interacting directly with him throughout his visit.

"We are delighted to host HISE and Professor Gross for this two-day event," said Dr. Anil Sahasrabudhe, Director, College of Engineering, Pune. "Through the years our relationship with Honeywell has grown, with common goals that help us inspire our students to pursue fields in science and engineering. With this latest visit by the Nobel laureate and the exchange program we've established with Honeywell, we hope to energize today's students to become tomorrow's great leaders."

"As a world leader in inventing and manufacturing cutting-edge technologies, Honeywell depends on its engineers to pursue innovative ways to make the world safer and more secure, as well as more comfortable and energy efficient," said Anant Maheshwari, Managing Director, Honeywell Automation India Limited.  "It is important for us to connect students to the wide variety of science and engineering careers so they can be prepared to tackle the global challenges that all of us will face in the future."

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 more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com.

SOURCE Honeywell