Join Team PrISUm

Any student interested in working with the team, whether it be for a weekend, a week, a month, or their whole college career, is welcome to join and participate at whatever level they are comfortable with. Students from all fields and majors take part in the work required to take a car from design to testing to racing.  With a project of this magnitude, it's easy for any student to get involved and still do something related to their major.

The easiest way to get involved is to attend a meeting or to e-mail a team leader.




Why join Team PrISUm?

  • Learn about alternative energy
  • Meet new people
  • Learn CAD and FEA software
  • Make contacts in Industry
  • Work with carbon fiber and Kevlar composites
  • Build a circuit board
  • Watch Office Space
  • Drive a solar car
  • Work with sponsors
  • Interact with the community
  • Great experience for your resume
  • Use CFD software to optimize aerodynamics
  • Real world experience
  • Eat at CoCoast
  • Travel across the country
  • Write some software
  • Build an Aluminium frame
  • Apply what you learn in class.

General Team Meeting

Monday 8:00PM - 171 Durham Center

Director: Sarah Kelly

Assistant Director: Tim Morgan



Electrical and Solar Array

Director: Scott Elliott

Meeting: Wednesday 8:00PM
1332 Old Sweeney (E-Room)

What would a solar car be without the electronics that drive it? Few off the shelf components are available for solar cars. It is up to the "E-Team" to design and build the batteries, solar array, power electronics, control systems, software, etc that go into a car powered only by the sun.

Fundraising

With a budget close to $400,000 every two years, none of our cars could be built without the fundraising team. Fundraising is every Team PrISUm member's responsibility. The Fundraising Team helps focus the team's efforts and budget the team's resources.

Logistics

Help plan race and outreach events. Work with the other PrISUm sub-teams to ensure they have the resources they need to continue work on the car.

Mechanical and Aerodynamics

Directors: Mike Bridwell & Hilda Garma

Meeting: Tuesday 7:00PM
1352 Old Sweeney (Garage)

The Mechanical Team is responsible for the design, testing, and fabrication of each of the mechanical components of our cars. Members use CAD, FEA, and CFD software to model and optimize the car's performance, and coordinate with other teams to build a solar car.

Outreach

Director: Erin Kelly

Part of Team PrISUm's mission is to teach the public about renewable energy and how it can be applied. The Outreach Team plans events at schools, fairs, trade shows, etc where the team can present our cars and the technology that powers them.

Race Strategy

Strategy is where races are won and lost. NASC is a 10-day challenge covering nearly 2,500 miles. Weather, battery capacity, and terrain all affect how our cars perform on the road. The Strategy team uses simulation models to optimize the cars performance as well as to teach drivers to drive the car as efficiently as possible.