Impact

EcoCAR communications team claims second in national competition

Communications manager Donghee Lee (fourth from right) led the communications team for EcoCAR3 that placed second nationally. Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

The communications team for Penn State’s Advanced Vehicle Team placed second among 16 teams competing in the national EcoCAR3 competition. The team won first place for both its communications plan and the implementation plan, second place for its media relations report and third place for its outreach event presentation.

 

Comprised of 13 undergraduate and graduate students from the College of Communications and the College of the Liberal Arts, the communications team has developed relationships with local media and coordinated outreach events to educate Centre County residents about the benefits of alternative vehicles and the importance of sustainability. 

 

“We were so close to winning the first place,” communications manager Donghee Lee said. “I’m still excited that all our work paid off. I appreciate the hard work of all the team members.”

 

Penn State amassed 72.1 of a possible 75 points in the competition. Ohio State won with 72.8 points and West Virginia was third.

 

Penn State has participated in advanced vehicle technology competitions since 1988. The overall team is comprised of between 50 to 70 undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff. Along with the communications team, whose efforts have been honored among the nation’s best in recent years, engineering students largely focus on the vehicle itself. 

 

Currently, the team is involved in EcoCAR3, a four-year program that runs through 2018 and tests students from the 16 different universities to re-engineer a Chevrolet Camaro to increase fuel efficiency, degrease harmful emissions and maintain performance, safety and consumer acceptability. The team does most of its work at Penn State’s Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute.

 

General Motors provides each of the competing teams with a Camaro, as well as vehicle components, seed money, technical mentoring and operational support. The U.S. Department of Energy and its research and development facility, Argonne National Laboratory, provide competition management, team evaluation and logistical support.

Last Updated June 15, 2015