Competitions demonstrate effectiveness of project-based learning

MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS DESIGNED AND FABRICATED AWARD-WINNING HYBRID-ELECTRIC VEHICLES WITH SUPPORT FROM INDUSTRIAL MENTORS.

FOR THE PAST 21 YEARS, Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions (AVTCs) sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy have challenged engineering students to develop vehicles using cutting-edge technologies that yield improved fuel economy and reduced emissions. The automotive industry has benefited from graduates who are prepared to almost immediately contribute once they begin employment as well as by their innovative concepts that have resulted from their imagination and fascination with the automobile. For the educational institution, the competitions have promoted a project-based pedagogy that has proven to be effective for motivating and enriching the educational experience of many students.

Engineering students from Mississippi State University participated in the Challenge X vehicle competition and are now engaged in EcoCAR. Both of these multi-year collegiate AVTCs were also sponsored by General Motors and Natural Resources Canada as well as several automotive-related industries. The Mississippi State students have been particularly adept at designing and constructing hybrid vehicles, as they have emerged as the Challenge X national winner and last May were again successful as they competed with their extended-range electric vehicle at the GM Proving Grounds in Yuma, AZ. This was followed by technical and outreach presentations descriptive of their winning vehicle that the students delivered in San Diego.