Written by: Antonia Martinez
On September 19, 2024, Illinois Tech hosted STEMFEST Clean Energy Career & Community Summit for Chicago Climate Tech Week. STEMFEST offers opportunities for students and families to engage in hands-on STEM activities, while Climate Tech Week, powered by TechChicago, focuses on technology and sustainability by bringing professionals, community, and students together.
At STEMFEST, the Illinois Tech shared a joint booth with Argonne National Laboratory, showcasing electric vehicle technology and the EcoCAR EV Challenge. Argonne’s Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) Organizers Nick Goberville and Kayla Hamilton supported the Vehicle Showcase, where we demonstrated AI/Object Detection with key vehicle components from competition sponsors. Our team was able to demonstrate how we use the AUTERA Autobox from dSPACE, used as the main controller for our CAV system, and the Propulsion Supervisory Controller, provided by Speedgoat, which serves as our main propulsion controller. Alongside Argonne, companies in the EV industry such as TCCI and Lion Electric displayed their contributions, including a Lion Electric electric school bus that features a TCCI commercial air compressor.
EcoCAR organizers from Argonne also participated in engaging panel discussions and shared insights into their work supporting the future of clean energy. The “Building Workforce of the Future in Clean Energy Panel” featured Argonne’s Trevor Crain, who discussed experiential learning programs and an equitable, clean energy workforce. System Design and Integration Organizer, Nick Moore, participated in the STEMfest Clean Energy Careers Panel during the Vehicle Showcase.
Collaborating with Argonne National Laboratory and other sponsors has been a key factor in our team’s success in the EcoCAR EV Challenge. Many of our team members have had the privilege of working closely with Argonne’s organizers, benefiting from their invaluable expertise and mentorship. Events like STEMFEST provided us with a wonderful opportunity to engage with the community, showcase our partnership with Argonne, and share the innovative work we are doing in the EcoCAR EV Challenge.
As we look to the future, we are excited to continue advancing this project with Argonne’s support. If you’re passionate about innovation in clean energy and electric vehicles, we invite you to follow our journey, support our efforts, and join us in driving the future of sustainable transportation.
