Project Manager:
Phillip Dziedzic
team@nusolar.org
Outreach Events Coordinator:
Tyler Johnson
TylerJohnson2007@u.northwestern.edu
Recruitment Coordinator:
Jonathan Cook
jgc@u.northwestern.edu
Mailing Address:
NU Solar Car Team
c/o Prof. C.H.Wu
2145 Sheridan Road, M309
Evanston, IL 60208
Fax: 847-491-4455
About the Team
Founded in 1998, the Northwestern University Solar Car Team is an undergraduate student organization composed of students and faculty advisors from the broad range of engineering disciplines at Northwestern University working together to design, build, and race solar electric vehicles for competition in the American Solar Challenge and Formula Sun races.
The team is composed of three fundamental teams: Operations, Research and Development, and Business. Each is responsible for a function critical to the project. The Operations team is responsible for the maintenance and improvement of the current car. Operations also does research on the current car in order to learn what could be improved upon for our next generation solar car. The Research and Development team is responsible for designing and building the next generation solar car. This responsibility includes the aerodynamic, electrical, and mechanical components. There is an aerodynamic responsibility to design a lightweight aerodynamic shell. There is an electrical responsibility to design an efficient solar array to maximize energy conversion, a lightweight battery pack to store supplemental power, an optimized motor to maximize efficiency, and electronic systems for control and monitoring. There is an mechanical responsibility for a lightweight yet strong frame and a reliable suspension system. The Business team is responsible for building ties with industry leaders to support the needs of the team. The integral teamwork of these subgroups ensures our success in achieving our goals.
The Northwestern University Solar Car Team gives students an opportunity to become better engineers by teaching practical engineering skills in working with budgets, deadlines, and real world problems in addition to developing valuable leadership skills. Students are able to learn valuable design techniques, as well as steps to implement the designs they produce. They must figure out the necessary materials, tools, and processes that best fit the application of their designs. Throughout the process, they must work directly among their peers collaborating, brainstorming, and solving any problem they may encounter.
A roster of current team members can be found here.
Join the Team
The team is constantly looking for new members to assist in achieving our goals. If you are a student interested in joining the team, email us to find out how you can get involved or come to one of our meetings.
Any faculty member or individual in the Northwestern community who is interested in assisting our effort should email us to discuss participation opportunities.
We encourage everyone interested to contact the team and see what opportunities for involvement are waiting. Don’t miss your chance to become involved with one of Northwestern’s premiere engineering groups!
Sponsor the Team
Developing a high efficiency solar race car is an expensive endeavor. If you are an individual or a company who is interested in making a monetary or in-kind donation to the team, check out the sponsors section of our web site for information on how you can help.
Watch the Team
Look here under "Announcements" for upcoming events to see the solar car in person! To keep you occupied until then, click below for a taste of the 2008 North American Solar Challenge:
If you have any questions, please check out the FAQ page. If you still have questions feel free to contact the team here and hopefully we can be of some assistance.
