Steven Boyd, an alumnus of Virginia Tech’s FutureTruck and ChallengeX teams, currently works for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. He stays connected to Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions (AVTC) as a technical organizer for the vehicles in competition.
“I appreciate giving my feedback to the students because I really do feel like it’s a great experience and I want them to learn the same lessons that I was able to and solve the same problems and go through the same challenges,” he said.
Steven said that the competitions help strengthen students’ weak areas. “I’m certain that everyone develops something different out of the competitions. I think what you gain is the real sense that this is a problem that we need to work on that we’re all going to face and that we can really overcome with work,” he said.
“The AVTCs provide a great platform for engineers that are looking to develop themselves into what I think are really fantastic individuals that have a lot to offer to society.”
Steven also notes that the current competition series is a sign of the automotive future. “I think these competitions have been a real harbinger for what the future is going to bring, having gone from hybrids to plug-in hybrids and more efficient vehicles and higher miles per gallon. We’re seeing those vehicles now, but we have a lot of work to do to make them what they need to be to really effect the environment in the U.S.”
See Steven in action with this alumni update video:
