join us.
The Solar Car Team is always seeking new members of any field and experience level. Previous members have included everyone from first-year students to faculty, aerospace engineering majors to psychology majors. However, while anyone is welcome, perspective members must demonstrate motivation, self-reliance, teamwork skills, an eagerness to learn, and a commitment to his or her projects and the Team. To each member, we guarantee the opportunity to gain extensive technical, leadership, and business experience with far-reaching application.
Mechanical Team
The Mechanical Team works on designing the car's structural integrity and mechanical systems, including the suspension, steering, hydraulic brakes, and driver safety systems (e.g. roll cage, safety harness, and crumple zones). This process incorporates all design levels from conception to computer-aided design to fabrication. In addition to steel and aluminum, members of the team also works with composites of carbon fiber, para-aramid fibers, and fiber-glass.
Electrical Team
The Electrical Team works on all the electrical systems of the vehicle, including solar cells, power trackers, batteries, electrical wiring, regenerative braking, instrumentation, and controls. Members develop and construct complete electrical systems including analog and digital circuits, solar-array layout, embedded programs for battery protection and other critical control functions, and high-level programming for the telemetry user interface.
Aerodynamic Team
The Aerodynamic Team works to design and construct the Solar Car's body to minimize aerodynamic drag, maximize stability, and dissipate heat form the solar array. Members of this team have the opportunity to work with tri-dimensional CFD software, mold-design, and advanced composites.
Operations Team
The Operations Team handles administrative matters, including accounting, fundraising, public and sponsor relations, human resources, inventory management, event planning, and web site development and maintenance.