Spring Break
STAR program encourages undergraduate research
Josh Kurtz
Issue date: 8/8/08 Section: News
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"One of Drexel's missions, especially going forward, is to increase undergraduate research," David Jones, interim dean of the Pennoni Honors College, said. "Drexel is
one of the few universities in the country that has undergraduate research for freshmen,"
Drew Konrady, a freshman majoring in engineering, and David Cinciruk, a freshman
majoring in electrical engineering have been working with 16 students from the West Philadelphia Automotive Academy, an area high school in Philadelphia, to design and build a hybrid car.
The hybrid car program is sponsored by Ford, which gave grants to groups around the country to help them engineer a hybrid vehicle, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Ford Model T, according to Konrady. The car is supposed to have a price to consumers of $7,500 or less.
The Academy was the only high school to receive a grant, according to Konrady.
The hybrid car designs from the various teams can give "a new set of eyes on the project" to the Ford engineers, Konrady said.
The Academy's project has entered the building phase, according to Konrady, who said the group first spent time on the modeling and designing of the vehicle.
"[I] Didn't think I'd be doing this for a summer job. I would have thought I'd be working in a grocery store," Konrady said.
The faculty mentor for the project is Kevin Scoles, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. Keith Sevcik, a graduate student in mechanical engineering, has also helped oversee the project.
Jennifer Shin and Annaliese Cole, two freshmen majoring in architecture, are working on a STAR project that deals with the architecture of Philadelphia row houses.
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