Every Challenge X alumnus has a story or two about moments during the competition. But few can tell a story as heart-racing as Kristina Lawyer
Kristina, a Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology graduate, was an Engine and Emissions Group Leader from 2006 to 2007 and a Team Leader from 2007 to 2008. She was also a recipient of the Women in Engineering award during her time with Rose- Hulman.
One of her most memorable moments occurred when she and a fellow teammate traveled to New York City for the Year 4 Finale. After several issues with the RHIT vehicle during her trip, Kristina talked about how the team’s vehicle led to some stressful situations getting to Tavern on the Green for a ride and drive.
“We finally made it to Tavern on the Green and pulled into the parking lot amidst cheers from the other teams,” said Kristina. Kristina remembers thanking the General Motors drivers who helped her and RHIT with their vehicle.
Kristina wasn’t too traumatized to return to EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge for a year as a consultant after she began her PhD work at Michigan Technological University in 2008. She is currently working at Argonne National Laboratory on a project exploring higher carbon number alcohols in GDI engines. She also runs tests on the engine dynamometer and helps assist in data analysis, publications, and presentations at Argonne.
“Being on the ChallengeX team provided me with the connections that led to my obtaining an NSF Fellowship and to being accepted into grad school,” she said. “If I hadn’t been on the team, my career path would probably be completely different.”
Kristina spends most of her free time supporting her family’s drag racing team Lawyer Motorsports, a past NHRA divisional champion.
