Image by Maria Soledad Lorenzino
Written by Maria Soledad Lorenzino
The streets of downtown will close later this month to host an environmentally conscious race series.
Among the competitors is MAST @ FIU.
Almost a month after building an electric car, the high school students will watch their creation race in the Formula E School Series in downtown Miami on Saturday, March 14.
The FE School Series is part of the 2014/2015 FIA Formula E Championship, the world’s first fully-electric racing series, according to their website. Miami is the fifth location out of 10 in the series.
FIU’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications’ Eye on the Rise initiative is co-sponsoring the MAST @ FIU students’ participation in the race.
Eyes on the Rise is a project funded by a $35,000 Challenge Fund for Innovation in Journalism Education grant to SJMC professors Robert Gutsche, Kate MacMillin, Susan Jacobson and Juliet Pinto.
The Eye on the Rise team works with MAST @ FIU to conduct research and reporting on sea level rise.
“A lot of the communication that we have been doing has focused on the problems of sea level rise and the problems of the government trying to keep up with it,” Gutsche said. “This event is an example of the positive or solution-based initiatives that we can be doing as a way to recognize sea level rise.”
MAST @ FIU student Reunie Faustin agrees with Gutsche that the project and the race will raise interest for every day electric car use.
“I feel like this is something we should have already been doing. If you look at it now, the coal that we use and all these other non-renewable resources, they’re making the earth not as good as it used to be,” Faustin said.“By going into renewable sources, we’re helping the earth cleanse itself.”
MAST @ FIU will compete against nine other local schools.
Each school received a kit to build their own electric car from Greenpower UK, a charity organization with interest in promoting careers in engineering and sustainability to young people, according to the Formula E website.
The schools will first compete in a 20 minute practice and qualifying round, and the qualifying teams will race in the final 20 minute race.
The teams must not only keep in mind their speed, but their car’s energy efficiency.
To participate in the project, MAST @ FIU technology teacher John Zoeller selected students who have demonstrated the most initiative, independence and work ethic.
“I think they’re going to have a great experience at this event. Because it’s a race, it’s a competition and they want to win,” Zoeller said. “What I’m more interested in is teaching them a process; following instructions, tools, equipment, documentation.”
And while the students learn, Gutsche believes the race serves a larger purpose in raising awareness.
“Getting students to learn how to do the engineering behind things like this is a way for us to communicate to society that there are things we can do at this point,” Gutsche said. “We can’t stop sea level rise but we can try to slow down effects by using these new forms of technology and innovation.”
MAST @ FIU is in the process of selecting the student who will drive the car in the race, according to Zoeller.
maria.lorenzino@fiusm.com
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