You’re probably already familiar with Kyle’s work. If you’ve watched a video in the past few months, you’ve experienced a little bit of his handiwork. Kyle Chudler is the man behind the camera; he’s always busy shooting and editing video. But what you may not know is that he has a background in meteorology.

“I’m majoring in Atmospheric Sciences in the Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences department here at the University. It was actually in an AOSS department meeting when I decided to join the team. Jeff Cwagenberg had come up to me and asked me to join the team. And so I did!”

When he first joined the team, Kyle was a member of the Strategy division, learning how to forecast weather with Jeff. His first projects were local forecasting as well as learning how to forecast weather in Australia. Slowly, Kyle began to do more weather related applications and tied them with strategy. However, he came up to a road block.

“I really wanted to drive in the World Solar Challenge, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to do weather and drive. To do weather, you have to stay up pretty late during the race, but that’s dangerous as a driver. So I decided to take on media work so that I could still drive.”

In the business division, Kyle had to teach himself how to use editing software in order to fill his role as the team’s media specialist. Soon, in addition to creating quality videos, Kyle began making business calls and emailing food distributors for the team.

“I’m excited to go to Australia. I’ve been there before, but it’s going to be great to go as a team, with that competitive atmosphere. My favorite part of this team is that we’re all good at our own things. It’s going to be great to see all our skills come together on the race.”

If you’re ever in the Wilson Center, home of the Michigan Solar Car Team, during late hours, chances are you’ll see Ryder Liu. Whether he’s in the computer lab designing and perfecting the aerobody of the next Michigan solar car or he’s in the workplace physically working on the car, Ryder is a common sight around the team. His favorite part of being on the team is the camaraderie between like-minded individuals and being able to bounce ideas off of others on the team. Ryder joined the Michigan Solar Car Team in the fall of 2011.

“It was my sophomore year of college. I had joined a bunch of other clubs, but didn’t feel involved as a freshman. When I joined the solar car team though, I was immediately given a project and soon I found myself doing more and more. Before I knew it, I was asked to be on race crew for the 2012 American Solar Challenge.”

Aerospace engineers on the team do most of their work during the first semester of a project cycle. Inherently, aerospace engineering is not very hands-on, with most of the work done in the computer lab using Siemens NX. Therefore, not many aerospace engineers compete in the race. To do so, Ryder had to become a race mechanical engineer, which meant doing a lot of hands-on mechanical engineering work.

“It was a tough transition, but I had a lot of good people to learn from. I was a backup driver and I learned a lot about body work on the car as well as maintenance of a solar car. It was a great experience; one of my favorite moments came at the end of that race, when we all ran across the finish line.”

During the Generation project cycle, Ryder was the Lead Aerospace Engineer taking charge on figuring solutions to the new design challenges, such as a four-wheeled car and an upright driver seating position. Leading into the World Solar Challenge, Ryder will be a race mechanical engineer as well as a driver.

“I’m excited to drive a car that I built and to see what the world’s best solar car teams have to offer. It’s going to be great competing against other great solar car teams and in the end, hopefully, being able to say we’re the best in the world.”

Evan Fletcher is 20 years old and a computer engineer at the University of Michigan. Although he’s a senior at the school, he attributes a lot of his hands-on experience education to the solar car team.

“I’ve been on the team since Fall of 2010 – I’ve learned so much from being on the team. The solar car team offers a lot of hands-on experience”

Before college, Evan was heavily involved in science and technology. In 2010, Evan won second place in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) for his work in physics and astronomy.

Evan joined the team after attending a mass meeting during his freshman year. Since then he’s had a large part in the team, starting in the micro-electrical division, to leading the division during the 2012 American Solar Challenge.

“My favorite moment on the team was rolling Quantum at 4 AM in 2011. It was a long night, but it worked in the end.”

Quantum rolling for the first time in 2011.

Before the race in 2012, Evan was the micro-electrical division lead, teaching and helping new micro-electrical engineers become familiar with the team and the car. He was responsible for a large power and weight reduction in the entire system, developing a better vehicle overall.

In preparation for the World Solar Challenge, Evan was promoted to Engineering Director where he oversaw Generation’s design. Currently, Evan is overseeing systems integration to make sure each part fits together before its final state.

After the World Solar Challenge, Evan will travel to Colorado to intern with a start-up.

In high school, Cam Herringshaw was an active member of his FIRST robotics team, working with other high school students to build a robot that would then compete in various challenges against other high schools in the country. Cam’s interest in computer science began while working for the team.

“I was introduced to programming on my FIRST robotics team and that’s where I got really interested. I applied and got accepted to the University of Michigan College of Engineering in computer science after graduating high school. That’s when I decided to check out the solar car team. I remember hearing about the solar car team in high school, but on campus I got an email for a mass meeting.”

His work on the robotics team mixed with his interest in programming is what sparked his desire to join the solar car team.

“The solar car team is a lot like my robotics team, with the team broken down into divisions with each division responsible for its own role. At the mass meeting all the divisions on solar car interested me, but I knew I could do the most on strategy.”

His interest for the entire team shows in his work. Even though he’s on the strategy division, team members will often see Cam working on the physical parts of the car, sanding down plugs and laying down carbon and helping out whenever he can.

“My favorite thing about being on the team is when everyone is working physically on the car. Just the banter and everybody running around doing their thing – the atmosphere, that’s my favorite.”

Preparing for the World Solar Challenge, Cam is the most excited about the challenge the new playing field offers. The team has won the American Solar Challenge seven times, but has no winning titles in the World Solar Challenge.

“It’s going to be totally different, the competition will be stronger and the challenges are bigger compared to the American Solar Challenge. A lot more pressure will be on myself and the strategy division because a lot of how the team does on the race is dependent on how well strategy performs. Plus, we’ll be driving 3,000 kilometers in a student-built car in the Australian Outback; that’s going to be intense.”

On the race, Cam will be in charge of race analysis and finding optimum routes for the team.

“I’m really only concentrating on WSC right now, but I want to join Michigan Hackers when I get back. They organized the biggest hackathon in the country and there’s some cool stuff coming out of there! And after graduating I want to do something in security or artificial intelligence.”

Sarah Spitzer had an exciting childhood, which included learning how to pilot airplanes. She began her piloting experience at age five, slowly learning more from her father she grew older.

“One of my favorite piloting moments was my eighteen and a half birthday. I was flying with my instructor when he told me to land. When he got off the plane and told me to fly, I was excited. It was my first time flying solo; I took-off and landed three times and I did it myself!”

When she was admitted to the University of Michigan, Sarah had become involved in many different activities, but didn’t join the solar car team until fall of 2011.

“I remember seeing Quantum on the field of the Big House surrounded by more than 100,000 Michigan fans. Joining the team was always in the back of my mind since I came to Michigan, but seeing Quantum down there, that’s when I told myself that I would actually join the team.”

She made well on her promise to herself and the day after the Big House event Sarah attended the team’s mass meeting where she met one of the team’s micro-electrical engineers, Evan Fletcher.

“Evan was the only micro engineer on the team in the United States, the others were in Australia for the World Solar Challenge. Evan was my role model; he helped me channel my excitement for the team into my work.”

She anticipates the World Solar Challenge’s largest difficulty to be transitioning a fully operational US team to a fully operational Australian team.

“WSC is going to be a challenge, but it’s something we’re all looking forward to!”

In preparation for the 2013 World Solar Challenge, Sarah Spitzer is responsible for the driver interface in Generation, from the steering wheel, to the dashboard and everything in between.

“I’d like to give a shout-out to my loving and supporting family and to my two cats: Tess and Nessie!”

It was Day 2 of the 2012 American Solar Challenge. Quantum and the University of Michigan Solar Car Team were driving just south of Erie, Pennsylvania when they heard the call: a large thunderstorm was about to hit the area.

“The night before when I noticed the storm in the area, I was hoping and crossing my fingers that the rain wasn’t going to hit us on the race. But when I checked the radar in the morning and saw that it was on its way, I picked up the phone and called [Head Strategist] AJ.”

Jeffrey Cwagenberg was in the weather vehicle on the race monitoring the weather and keeping in close communication with AJ Trublowski and the rest of the strategy team. Jeff’s entrance into the solar car world began as a freshman in the fall of 2010. Jeff was excited at the prospect of joining an Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences (AOSS) related extra curricular program at Michigan.

“I remember going to General Chemistry when one of my hallmates, Richard Wu, ran up to me excitedly. He said, ‘Jeff Jeff! You should check out the solar car team! They need a meteorologist like you!’ So I decided to check out their booth on campus and ended up going to the mass meeting a few days later. That’s how I joined the team.”

On Day 2 of the American Solar Challenge, other teams were slowing down to conserve energy during the expected lack of sunshine. Jeff instead dialed AJ on the phone and suggested pushing through the storm. By predicting the weather, Jeff knew information that other team’s didn’t know.

“I’ve learned a lot about theoretical weather in class, but something I’ve learned on the team is predicting the weather. I take current weather patterns in various areas and synthesize to predict what’s going to happen next.”

While other teams during the American Solar Challenge didn’t realize when the thunderstorm would pass, Jeff quickly saw that if Quantum drove faster it would speed through the storm and break into sunshine to get the best evening charge. With Jeff’s help, Quantum reached the control stop with a three hour lead.

“Something about me that’s not solar car is that I would love to chase tornados. I find them so fascinating, that air, something that’s only 1.2 kilograms per cubic meter, can be so powerful. This thing that supports life and is invisible can pick up cows and cars. I would love to chase one someday.”

Jeff is currently the Director of Meteorology for the 2013 World Solar Challenge and anticipates a competitive race.

“Meet Eric Hausman” is a term that is oft used on our site, so you’ve probably already “met” Eric Hausman. You’ve probably heard the pinewood derby story, about a little second grader named Eric who saw our first solar car, Sunrunner, on display at the Henry Ford Museum. You also probably remember that after seeing Sunrunner, Eric designed his pinewood derby car after the inaugural solar car and followed the team until his collegiate years.

But this isn’t that story. This is an Eric Hausman that you’ve most likely never met. A story filled with trucks.

Let’s go back in time a few years… Eric was starting his freshman year of college at the University of Michigan.

“I remember going on a campus tour and my dad told me not to join the solar car team if my only reason was getting a free trip to Australia. So of course the first thing I did when I came to Michigan was go to a Solar Car mass meeting.”

Usually people join the team because of the ingenuity behind a solar car or being able to drive a cool car. Still attracted to driving a cool car, but knowing he would never fit in a solar car, Eric was enamored by the idea of driving a large support vehicle.

“Of course as I worked with the team my fascination for solar cars grew, but the reason why I stayed with the team goes back to that initial hook… the behind the scenes work that goes into ensuring a successful team (and of course the idea of one day hopefully being able to tow the trailer).”

And he sure did tow the trailer. One of his favorite bragging points is logging the most miles towing the trailer of any current team member, most recently a round trip from Michigan to Texas for South By Southwest.

Fast-forward two and a half years. Eric made his way from interim Business Lead, interim Project Manager, Project Manager, to finally Race Manager. As Race Manager, Eric’s biggest challenge is working in Australia. Not only is it a foreign country, but the World Solar Challenge is very different compared to its American counterpart. With a new car, a new crew, and a new country, Eric’s main responsibility will be to ensure the team adapts to the environment.

After the World Solar Challenge, Eric will spend another year at Michigan before graduating.

“I have no idea what I’m going to do after graduating – there’s 132 days until WSC and that’s what matters right now. I would like to someday drive a garbage truck though.”

When you hear Matt Goldstein’s name on the solar car team, one of the first things that pops into your head is “Strategy.” Growing up in Lincolnshire, Illinois, Matt Goldstein was competitive in both Tae Kwon Do and Brazilian Jiujitsu.

“That’s why I joined the strategy division. I’m a competitive person and the strategy division is the most competitive group on the team. Strategy’s specific job is to win the race. That’s what hooked me.”

As a Computer Science Engineer major, Matt has a unique skillset as a strategist. On the American Solar Challenge in 2012, Matt designed the software for the race which helped strategy set speeds for Quantum.

“Historically I’m one of the few Head Strategists on the team that’s majoring in Computer Science Engineering. Many of the past Head Strategists knew a lot about the strategy side of things, but not as much of the software side. I think that’s something unique about me, that I helped design the software myself.”

Looking forward, Matt anticipates many challenges for the World Solar Challenge. Many people acknowledge the engineering challenges of designing a four-wheeled car, but Matt’s main challenge is to accommodate the fourth wheel during the race. When asked what was his favorite part of being on the team:

“My favorite time on the team was running alongside Quantum during ASC 2012. Seeing all that hard work paying off… it was unbelievable. But all I’m thinking about now is WSC and winning the race.”

“Move over, Arnold and Kevin. In addition to Terminator 2 and Dancing With the Wolves, this holiday season’s video sales herald another action-packed film… The Making of Sunrunner, GM Sunrayce USA.”

- Mona Qureshi, The Michigan Daily, 1991

The 1989 University of Michigan Solar Car Team with Sunrunner

As we continue the construction of Generation, we look back on the years of knowledge that we rely on to construct our cars. The University of Michigan Solar Car Team began its legacy of winning with its very first car: Sunrunner. Built only a year before the inaugural 1990 Sunrayce, Sunrunner won first place and went on to place third in the World Solar Challenge.

Sunrunner in Popular Magazine

Take a blast into the past and check out this Michigan Daily article on Sunrunner! Also, watch a 1990 documentary on the historic team below! For more information on the team and the car, head on over to their site: http://solarcar.engin.umich.edu/pastteams/sunrunner/index.html

Our story begins in early 2011 – Quantum was being constructed and the team was making its annual appearance at the North American International Auto Show. That was where Bryan Mazor was first introduced to the University of Michigan Solar Car Team.

“I was at the auto show – I go every year and I remember meeting Jeff, who was on the team at the time. That’s where I first found out about the team.”

Bryan joined the team soon-after and he quickly adjusted to the fast-pace nature of the team as he soon became the interim strategy director. Fast-forward to 2012 when Bryan was elected Strategy Director.

“Some of my favorite Michigan Solar Car moments come from the American Solar Challenge. The 2nd day of the race, there were crazy thunderstorms. All the other teams had stopped to wait for the rain to pass, but we kept going, speeding at 47 MPH. The best moment was when we burst through the clouds and saw the sun. Of course that leads to the second best moment, when we beat the competition by over 10 hours – that was beautiful.”

“But my absolute favorite part about the Michigan Solar Car Team – the project. How many 21 year olds even get the opportunity to do what we do? Not many! We’re building solar-powered vehicles that go over 100 MPH. It’s mind blowing.”

Bryan is currently UMSolar’s Crew Chief for the 2013 World Solar Challenge.