Written by: Jackson Davidson
In the past few months, the Bama BattChallenge team has focused on redesigning, refining, and testing the modules. Now, we’re almost ready to begin building and integrating those modules into a complete, functioning battery system.
This first semester of Year 3 has brought several exciting updates. One of the biggest changes is the addition of our new faculty advisor, Paul Riggs. As an Industrial Electronics Instructor at Shelton State, Paul brings a wealth of applied experience, particularly in safety. He’s helped our team grow more confident in handling electronic systems safely and responsibly.
Safety remains one of our top priorities. Shelton State BattScholar Alex Maurer shared that through his involvement in the Battery Workforce Challenge, he’s “gained confidence in working high voltage in vehicles and now has a better idea of how to interact with them in a safe and practical manner.” Our team’s hands-on experience with high-voltage systems is one of the most valuable aspects of the program, giving team members real-world skills that go far beyond the classroom.
Another exciting milestone is our move into a new workshop located in the Smart Communities and Innovation Building at The University of Alabama. This new space is larger, more centrally located, and far better equipped for the kind of work we’re taking on this year.
The work isn’t easy, and solutions often take time to find, but those challenges help prepare us for our future careers. Chris Suffern, our Electrical & BDU Lead said, “My favorite thing about the Battery Workforce Challenge is getting hands-on experience in an industry that I want to work in. It’s engineering design experience, but also working with our sponsors, who work in industry.”
Our team is built on the strength of interdisciplinary collaboration. We maintain 60+ members representing 8 different majors including Electrical, Automotive, and Aerospace Engineering. Each person brings a unique skill set and background, both of which are required to tackle the wide variety of challenges we face in our work.
Nishma Bhattarai, our Thermal Lead and Structural Co-Lead, is eager to see that work completed saying, “I’m looking forward to the integration of everything we’ve done for the past three years, to see how all of the work that members of the team have done comes together and makes the whole pack.”
Our team is full of unique people who all contribute in different ways, but we’re all focused on the same thing: getting the van moving. We only have a few months to make it happen, and there’s a lot of hard work to get done by the end of April.
We’d love for you to follow along with our progress, and the best way stay current is through our LinkedIn page.
