OVERVIEW

 

     2004 was the first year the UI Department of Chemical Engineering competed

in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers’ (AIChE) National ChE-Car

competition. Seven ChE students took first place in both poster presentation

and car performance categories at the Pacific Northwest Regional in Seattle.

The team was later invited to compete at the National Conference in Austin,

Texas. UI finished in the top 10 out of 31 universities. The team out placed a

number of major national universities such as Utah, Washington State, West

Virginia, UC Berkeley, Cornell, Ohio State, Iowa, and Nevada. In the 2004 UI

Engineering Design Expo, the team was also recognized for Excellence in Booth

Presentation.

     In 2005, the ChE-Car team experienced problems with a dead fuel cell and was unable to place in the competition.  Undaunted, the team returned home determined to reclaim their position as top Northwest ChE-car.

     Last year, the UI hosted the Pacific Northwest Regional AIChE student conference and the UI team won the car competition as well as the poster competition.  The team donated the prize money back into the UI AIChE ChE-Car fund so they could continue this educational competition.