Simply put being part of PIAXP is AWESOME.  It is not only exciting that we are actually building a car that gets 100+ MPG, but we are also designing a car that is commercially viable. Who knows, a car and complimenting technology designed by Cornell students could end up on the market!

Being on the Cornell 100+ MPG team is also one of the most fulfilling opportunities to gain hands on experience in engineering and apply what we have learned in the classroom.  As a student majoring in Operations Research Engineering, I was able to utilize course work skills such as optimal scheduling through Gantt Charts, modeling and simulating different configurations of a mechanical component before the team actually builds it, and even basic accounting.

Our favorite part about being on the team is spending time working hard with other really cool engineers. Sure we’re all talented individuals, but the group is a blast to hang out with on the weekends. Pulling all nighters for a technical deliverable is certainly a form of bonding time, but so are the socials thrown after we passed a TD =). And like all hungry engineers, there’s no better way to cure 8 food-less hours in the High Volt Lab than a barbecue picnic with burgers on the grill and Ithaca’s finest brew.

Another really cool thing about being a part of this team is sharing our knowledge and teaching others how to be more environmentally aware. As a university organization, part of our innate duty is to educate the community, whether it’s on campus or in Ithaca, about sustainable transportation. We are especially looking forward to showing off the car on Ho Plaza on Earth Day where we will be informing the student body on sustainable practices (as well as showcasing our new paint job!). These are just some of the many great benefits of being a part of PIAXP and a Cornell Engineering Project Team.

What come with any project are the challenges. Day to day drags mostly consist of balancing class work while completing our tasks for the project. While many members take the project team for credit, we often spend considerably more time (ie: 20+ hours) a week working on the car than in a similar class.  Sacrifices (in terms of grades, hours of sleep, number of friends [just kidding about the last part]) are a dime a dozen but more importantly, we enjoy our work. Also as with any type of team, raising money is always a challenge. Given the recent downturn, finding a large corporate sponsor is akin to finding a hotelie in the library on a Friday night (ie: almost impossible).