By Em Jankauski
Meet the organizers behind the Battery Workforce Challenge collegiate competition, which is managed by Argonne National Laboratory. As year two of the BattChallenge ramps up, Argonne organizers are eager to share what their most looking forward to – from delivery of teams’ Ram ProMaster EVs, watching students design tangible battery pack components, to watching the collaboration between the teams unfold and much more.
Without further ado, let’s hear from this year’s BattChallenge organizers!
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Kimberly DeClark, head of strategic communications
Q: What’s your BattChallenge superpower?
A: “I specialize in all things communications and public relations. My superpower is I am a master of media relations and messaging.
“Expect to work with me on any media interviews such as a Satellite Media Tour. I also work very closely with our headline sponsor leadership. If there are any keynote remarks at an event, I’m typically floating around.”
Q: What are you most looking forward to in year two of the BattChallenge?
A: “Van delivery to the teams!”
Q: What’s one fun fact about you?
A: “When I came to Argonne to work on (AVTC) competitions 18 years ago, I launched a communications swimlane so that we could provide hands-on experience to public relations students as well as engineering students. I have since passed the baton on the day-to-day interaction with the communications managers, but (I) still love to engage with and mentor students. Feel free to strike up a conversation with me!”
Hannah DiPalomares, technical project manager and project management swimlane lead
Q: What’s your BattChallenge super power?
A: “Each month I hold Town Halls for project managers. I invite all PMs and those who are curious about PM. Furthermore, I will be spearheading this year’s Project Management Assessment Center. As always, I encourage students to come to me with any PM-related deliverables, questions and concerns.”
Q: What are you most looking forward to in year two of the BattChallenge?
A: “As a new program, we love ideas and creativity. For year two, I’m most excited to take the feedback from our students and faculty and build that into year two improvements. As both a unique challenge and opportunity, students will begin to see their suggestions become reality and make an impact that actively shapes BattChallenge for many years to come.”
Q: What’s one fun fact about you that you’d like to share with our BattChallengers?
A: “I was the only female to graduate with a bachelor’s of science in mechanical engineering at the Milwaukee School of Engineering – way back in fall of 2012. It is absolutely thrilling to see how diversity has grown within the automotive space through programs like Battery Workforce Challenge.”
Ajay Gnanasekaran, BattChallenge senior program director
Q: What’s your BattChallenge superpower?
A: “Battery manufacturing, program management, supply chains and leadership
Q: What are you most looking forward to in year two of the BattChallenge?
A: “Students to get more hands-on (experience) as we move towards module build.”
Q: What’s one fun fact about you?
A: “I have never worked a day as an engineer, even though I have an undergrad degree in it.”
Jen Heimberg, special event manager
Q: What’s your BattChallenge superpower?
A: “Come to me with all of your logistics concerns – from hotel questions, food needs, transportation help, schedule help – I’m your gal!”
Q: What are you most looking forward to in year two of the BattChallenge?
A: “As one of the newest members of the BattChallenge crew, I am most excited to meet the teams and get to know everyone.”
Q: What’s one fun fact about you?
A: “I lived on the same block in Chicago my entire childhood, but as of today, I have lived in four different states with a current total of 16 different addresses.”
Em Jankauski, communications specialist
Q: What’s your BattChallenge superpower?
A: “I’m a storyteller at heart. I love being a science and engineering communicator and marketer because I get to work with truly motivated and inspirational people. It’s so awesome to be able to share your passions with the world. Never stop reaching for the stars.”
Q: What are you most looking forward to in year two of the BattChallenge?
A: “I truly enjoy hearing your passions, and I love seeing your ah-ha moments. But more than anything, I enjoy watching your collaboration with one another.
“I’m grateful to be the one who champions your stories to our stakeholders, the media as well as the general public. What you’re working on achieving has an impact on all of our daily lives. Keep up the great work!”
Q: What’s one fun fact about you?
A: “I’m a die-hard Fighting Illini basketball fan.”
David Robertson, principal battery engineer
Q: What’s your BattChallenge superpower?
A: “I manage the Engineering and Battery Pack Software swimlanes. My background is in electrical engineering and battery testing, so I can support any swimlanes on those topics.”
Q: What are you most looking forward to in year two of the BattChallenge?
A: “I am excited to see student designs become tangible pack components and demonstrating functionality from student-developed code.”
Q: What’s one fun fact about you?
A: “I really enjoy live music events and traveling.”
Ravi Saripella, advanced battery engineer
Q: What’s your BattChallenge superpower?
A: “The technical why that goes into a battery design decision. The competition has provided me an opportunity to collaborate with students and dig deeper into the why of different battery design decisions. I enjoy the learning aspect of this and being able to share what I find out with the students. When I don’t know the answer, I will work with our talented sponsor pool to try and work to provide an answer to teams.
Q: What are you most looking forward to in year two of the BattChallenge?
A: “How teams design the battery module. That has been left the most open in terms of design requirements, so teams can be really creative in their solutions.”
Q: What’s one fun fact about you?
A: “I attempt to be a runner. Some days I’m successful and some days not so much.”
Trista Smith-Crudup, vocational program manager
Q: What’s your BattChallenge superpower?
A: “Leading light, providing hope and inspiration as a mentor to Minority-Serving Institution teams with the hope that we can foster future opportunities in the sustainable transportation industry.”
Q: What are you most looking forward to in year two of the BattChallenge?
A: “Seeing the progress that each team makes on their battery pack design and hearing their year two plans to have a successful venture in the competition.”
Q: What’s one fun fact about you?
A: “I am a green, literal thinker that doesn’t get jokes easily. It takes me a little before I can get them.”
Kristen Wahl, AVTC director
Q: What’s your BattChallenge superpower?
A: “This year, I’ll be celebrating 28 years supporting the AVTC program, so I’ve seen it all! There is no problem too big for me to solve, or I know what reinforcements to call to figure out a solution.”
Q: “What are you most looking forward to in year two of the BattChallenge?”
A: “Seeing universities and vocational schools working together to tackle tough challenges and work as one team to demonstrate functional battery packs for their Ram ProMasters.”
Q: What’s one fun fact about you?
A: “I love traveling, hiking and experiencing unique cultures from around the world.”
