By Madison Reddy
The U.S. Department of Energy has established an ambitious objective to tackle the climate crisis, aiming to guide the nation toward achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Central to this ambitious goal is the advancement of battery technology to power the transformation of transportation and energy systems.
The Battery Workforce Challenge aims to build a highly skilled domestic workforce equipped with practical expertise and the knowledge needed across the electric vehicle and battery sectors. The California State University, Los Angeles & Cerritos College team participating in this competition is receiving a lot from this program. Still, at the same time, the team wants to give back to its community by inspiring others to pursue STEM careers.
Los Angeles is a city composed of 48 percent Hispanic population, but only 7.7 percent of the engineers in the U.S. are Hispanics. As BattChallenge participants, we are making a difference in this country’s workforce, as our team is mainly composed of minorities eager to join the engineering labor force. However, one of our main objectives is to inspire younger, underrepresented generations with what we are doing.
We have been holding exciting events for local high school students to get involved in the exciting world of STEM. We partnered with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers to host an event at Huntington Park High School with a panel of engineering professionals fielding questions about STEM careers. Also, we presented our team and the Battery Workforce Challenge, educating and motivating the students to participate in the future of EVs.
As a fun and interactive activity, the students worked on a paper circuit to power two LED lights in parallel to a car drawing. We used coin batteries and copper tape for the activity and explained the principle behind it and why we used parallel circuits instead of series.
Also, we worked in partnership with Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement, or MESA, a college prep program, by hosting an event for different high schools with a population of underrepresented ethnic groups reaching more than 440 students.
These community events aim to excite individuals about the fantastic possibilities within STEM. We have many more events coming up, and we intend to participate in community outreach with local high schools, hoping to get students, especially women, interested in STEM.
As the California State University, Los Angeles & Cerritos College BattChallenge team continues to embark on this groundbreaking journey, we will be shaping the future of our transportation landscape and displaying our CSULA’s commitment to community engagement, collaboration and education. The Battery Workforce Challenge is not just a competition but a forge of innovation and a testament to the collective effort necessary to foster genuine, sustainable change and transcend institutional boundaries.
The California State University, Los Angeles & Cerritos College BattChallenge team aims to invest in education, EV technology, and community outreach and engagement by working to excite our younger generations about the future of STEM.
To delve deeper into the team’s journey with the Battery Workforce Challenge, visit our website and follow the @battchallengecsula on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Share your thoughts with us and become an advocate for sustainable transportation. Together, we can propel into a brighter, cleaner and more sustainable future.
