Pratt & Whitney opens STEM Labs in Bengaluru in partnership with United Way

Pratt & Whitney, through its subsidiary United Technologies Corporation India Pvt Ltd, and in partnership with United Way Bengaluru (a not-for-profit organization) announced the opening of two STEM labs in Bengaluru, India. The STEM labs, designed to encourage science and math learning amongst school children, have been installed in Karnataka Public School (Krishnandanagar) and Government Model Primary School (Vrushabavathinagar). The labs are expected to positively impact and inspire up to 1,000 students across both schools. 

Ashmita Sethi, president & country head, Pratt & Whitney, UTCIPL, commented: “Over the years, Pratt & Whitney has made focused investments on fostering STEM learning in India, and we are proud to announce the launch of these two labs in partnership with United Way. We hope that the experiential learning from these labs will instill curiosity and inspire the children to take up careers in science, technology, and aerospace.”

The STEM labs created in partnership United Way will have specialized learning aids, kits and curriculum focused on experiential science and mathematics learning for school children. UTCIPL employees in Bengaluru will also work with kids on special projects and interactions.    

Gunjan Krishna, commissioner for Industrial Development, and Director of Industries & Commerce, Government of Karnataka, said: “We are happy to see Pratt & Whitney and United Way’s efforts in encouraging STEM education in Bengaluru. Bengaluru is a major hub for science, technology and aerospace in India, and we hope that such initiatives will encourage the next generation of talented innovators, researchers and engineers that India needs.”  

"We are delighted to collaborate in this significant intervention as the STEM labs will help children learn beyond textbooks by concept visualization, exploration and experimentation. It will create a scientific temperament among students and encourage many students to pursue careers in STEM-related fields. " Rajesh Krishnan, CEO, United Way Bengaluru.

Globally, Pratt & Whitney’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs and partnerships focus on inspiring the next generation, empowering employees to positively impact their communities and emphasizing innovation and technology. Pratt & Whitney recently announced the Pratt & Whitney E-STEM Awards in partnership with the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), which grants a total of $250,000 USD to support innovative E-STEM education programs around the world that build the skills and capacity for students ages 11-18 to use science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to address environmental challenges. Two awardees are from India: Bhumi, an NGO based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, won an E-STEM award of $15,000, and Haritadhara Research Development and Education Foundation (HRDEF) from Uttarakhand won a grant of $5000. Bhumi coordinates school programs that, via a mix of both in-person and virtual learning, provide STEM activities and learning opportunities to low-income children in remote and rural parts of India. HRDEF engages students with projects on environmental management, water, energy, waste, climate change, and transportation issues.

Pratt & Whitney’s significant investments made in-country include the state-of-the-art India Customer Training Center in Hyderabad; the R&D collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru; the India Capability Center in Bengaluru; as well as the India Engineering Center that is anticipated to open in 2023.