The Mississippi State EcoCAR2 team is kicking off the newest of the Department of Energy's Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions, EcoCAR2. A student interest meeting will be held Tuesday [Aug. 23], 12:30 p.m., at the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS) in the Thad Cochran Research Park. The park is located adjacent to the campus, just across Hwy. 182.
The EcoCAR2 competition is sponsored by General Motors and the Department of Energy and challenges 16 student teams from selected universities to re-engineer a GM donated vehicle to reduce its environmental impact. Each team also conducts extensive outreach to promote the team's efforts on local, state, and national levels.
Students from any major are encouraged to participate. The team offers opportunities for students interested in all areas of engineering, as well as math, computer science, graphic design, and welding and fabrication. The outreach team offers opportunities to gain experience in marketing, education, politics, social media, web design, and much more. Involvement in this program allows students to receive valuable hands on experience while developing business and leadership skills.