The University of Alabama’s EcoCAR team is proud to have Ryan McNealy as our Propulsion and Systems Integration (PSI) Lead. Not only is he an outstanding leader, he is also a seasoned EcoCAR team member who participated in EcoCAR 3 prior to the EcoCAR Mobility Challenge.
Originally from Maryville, Tennessee, McNealy has called Alabama home for the past few years as he pursues a Master of Science in mechanical engineering and a Master of Business Administration. He participated in the entirety of EcoCAR 3 during his undergrad years as a mechanical sub-team member and, eventually, the Systems Safety Manager. EcoCAR 3 focused on redesigning a 2016 Chevrolet Camaro to become the ultimate energy-efficient, high-performance vehicle. McNealy assisted that design process and eventually led the systems safety team, overseeing the safety of the entire UA lab.
Now, as the Propulsion Systems Integration Lead, he credits his experience with EcoCAR 3 with fueling him for his new role. As McNealy explained, “EcoCAR has helped to introduce me to the vehicle development process and how we can condense that down into a four-year process.”
He learned just how engaging and valuable this four-year experience is for students and has been able to utilize his skills to set his team up for success in the current competition. During the Year One competition, McNealy’s PSI team received first place in the Propulsion System Integration Presentation. Now as we kick off year two, he is geared up and ready to lead his team to success again as he oversees and manages a team of undergraduate Electrical and Mechanical Engineering students for the PSI Subteam.
Students such as Ryan McNealy have been able to excel in this program and learn both hands-on engineering skills and how to be an effective leader before entering the workforce.
