OSU Solar Vehicle Team

This summer has been a busy one and it's already time for classes to start! My research is going well...I'll hopefully get my chip back from fabrication in November sometime. I've found that my WoW time has been getting pushed aside and I'm spending more time working on OSU's solar race car. Kathy and I joined the solar car team at the beginning of this summer. We are working on developing a solar vehicle to compete in the 2007 American Solar Challenge and the 2007 World Solar Challenge in Australia. Kathy is the team co-captain and I'm working on the power electronics part. The solar car team has grown out of the Oregon State Electric Racing Team which built a small go-cart to compete in local races. I was going to race it this summer but I had an unfortunate accident before the race started which involved crashing, rolling and other such unpleasantness. You can see a picture of the go-cart on our website:

www.oregonstate.edu/groups/osert

It still looks the same despite my body work :) This go-cart is our prototype that tests frame and suspension systems that will be used on the new solar car.

Right now we are in fundraising mode...we have already raised about $2,000 so we can start building the frame. If anyone knows of any local Oregon/Washington companies that might like to sponsor us let me know :) I'm thinking of hitting up all the big ones: Intel, Tektronix, Nike, HP, Xerox, Fred Meyer, Bill Gates, ect.