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The 2012 Winter Workshop Wraps Up in Austin

February 10, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News by ggguestuser | No comments

The 2012 Winter Workshop has come to an end as the 15 EcoCAR 2 teams head back to their universities to prepare for the remainder of Year One competition.

Over the five day workshop, which was co-hosted by Freescale and dSPACE, Inc., teams participated in detailed sessions from competitions organizers General Motors, the U.S. Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory. Teams also took part in in-depth training on sponsor-donated components and software tools from dSPACE, A123 Systems, Freescale, AVL Powertrain Engineering, CD-adapco, Siemens, and Vector.  The Winter Workshop was also the first time teams presented to judges on their Hardware-In-The Loop (HIL), Business Plans, and Youth Education efforts.

The team’s Outreach Coordinators (OCs) had the opportunity to attend the first Education Day of the EcoCAR 2 competition series. At the end of the day, teams talked to more than 250 middle and high school students in the Austin area. A special thank you goes to John Haraf, Director of Hybrid Vehicle Integration and Controls at General Motors, for speaking to the schools and bringing a new Chevrolet Volt with him! The OCs also attended a special PR Panel and received a tour of a local television station while in Austin.

One of the most exciting sessions of the Winter Workshop was the Plenary Session on Saturday morning. During the session, AVTC Director Kristen De La Rosa, announced the location of the Year One Competition (check back in to the Green Garage Blog next week for the big news!) and released a competition schedule to the teams. Teams heard first-hand about the events they will be competing in, including Electrical, Controls, Mechanical, Trade Show, HIL, Business, Outreach and Program Initiation Approval (PIA).

During the evenings, students and advisors had the opportunity to attend a Welcome Night dinner at the Thurman Mansion catered by Salt Lick and an evening ‘fun’ night at Maggie Mae’s on Sixth Street. EcoCAR 2 teams also networked with sponsors at the 2012 Winter Workshop Sponsor Social at the famous Driskill Hotel with keynote speaker and former Austin Mayor, Will Wynn.

Thank you to Freescale and dSPACE for co-hosting the 2012 Winter Workshop, and a special thank you to Freescale for allowing the EcoCAR 2 program at their Oak Hill facilities.

Missed the Winter Workshop? Check out the Winter Workshop Video below and all of the Workshop photos on Flickr!

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The Winter Workshop’s Sponsor Social

February 8, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News by ggguestuser | No comments

At the beautiful and historic Driskill hotel in downtown Austin, Texas teams gathered for a dinner hosted by the EcoCAR 2 sponsors.

Will Wynn, former two-term mayor of Austin, was the guest speaker for the evening. Mr. Wynn talked about how Austin’s downtown district has been developed over the past decade and is now much more focused on sustainable living.

“This is another part of the transportation solution,” said Mr. Wynn, explaining that city leaders in Austin have aimed to create more living space for those who work in the city.  Over the past several years, with the addition of multiple condominiums and apartment buildings in the midst of downtown Austin, thousands of more people have moved closer to the heart of the city.  It is these types of sustainable choices for smart living, matched with sustainable transportation solutions like advanced vehicle technologies, that are reinventing communities like Austin and shaping society in a positive way.

Freescale and dSPACE were also honored at the dinner for co-hosting the workshop. Kevin Kott, president of dSPACE, spoke to the students about the role of the Hardware-in-the-Loop systems that each team will be using for their vehicle simulations. Ray Cornyn, VP & General Manager, Automotive Microcontroller Products, Automotive and Industrial Solutions Group at Freescale also presented and welcomed all 15 student teams to Austin, and to Freescale, where the week’s activities were held.

Students spent part of the evening mingling with representatives from these and other sponsors at booths hosted by recruiters from each organization.  The sponsors’ exhibits allows students to learn more about those organizations and network with industry leaders, and they also provided an outlet for sponsors to hear more about the status of the teams.

 

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Welcome to the 2012 Winter Workshop

February 2, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News by ggguestuser | No comments

It was a beautiful 77 degrees and sunny in Texas as students, sponsors, and organizers arrived at Freescale’s headquarters in Austin for the 2012 Winter Workshop!

Co-sponsored by Freescale and dSPACE, Inc. and hosted at Freescale’s Oak Hill campus, EcoCAR 2 teams are participating in detailed sessions from competition organizers from General Motors, the U.S. Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory. Teams are also taking part in detailed training of sponsor-donated components and software tools from dSPACE, A123 Systems, Freescale, AVL Powertrain Engineering, CD-adapco, Siemens, and Vector.

Over the next few days, EcoCAR 2 teams will be put to the test as they prepare for their first in-person scored presentations, including Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL), Outreach, and Business.

Teams had the opportunity to set up their HILs on Wednesday afternoon.

“It was nice to see all of the different HIL set-ups for the teams,” said Whitney Belt, Mechanical Team Member for Purdue University. “We all have the same objective with HIL but each team took it their own unique way.

After a long day of travel, registration, and workshop set-up, teams and sponsors enjoyed a southern feast at Thurman Mansion catered by Salt Lick! As if devouring brisket, BBQ ribs, and southern side dishes weren’t enough, EcoCAR 2 teams heard remarks from co-hosts Freescale and dSPACE, Inc., as well as General Motors and the U.S. Department of Energy.

EcoCAR 2 organizers hope teams and sponsors enjoyed the Welcome Dinner and are excited for the rest of the Winter Workshop in Austin, Texas!

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Former Austin Mayor William Wynn to Speak at Winter Workshop

January 26, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News by ggguestuser | No comments

EcoCAR 2 is proud to announce that former Austin Mayor, William Wynn, will be the keynote speaker at the 2012 Winter Workshop Sponsor Social on February 3, 2012 at the Driskill Hotel.

William Wynn served as Austin’s Mayor from 2003-2009. Wynn also served on the Board of Director of Austin Energy, the ninth largest public power utility in the United States, for nine years. During his tenure as Mayor, Wynn oversaw the execution of two major power agreements, including the construction of a solar field in December 2011 and a biomass plant set to open in June 2012.

Under Wynn’s leadership as Mayor, Austin dramatically expanded both the requirements and market penetration of its green building program, nationally promoted plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, created the country’s most aggressive solar rebate program and dramatically increased its renewable energy portfolio and smart-grid initiative.

Wynn’s leadership in Austin did not go unnoticed. Throughout his tenure and beyond, Wynn received the Alliance to Save Energy’s prestigious Charles H. Percy Public Service Award; was named Austinite of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce; was named Energy Executive of the Year by the 9,000-member Association of Energy Engineers; was awarded Scenic Austin’s first annual Scenic Hero Award; was honored for Outstanding Achievement at the U.S. Conference of Mayors 2007 Climate Protection Awards; and following Austin’s response to Hurricane Katrina, was named Local Public Official of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers.

To learn more about our special guest speaker at the 2012 Winter Workshop Sponsor Social, visit http://www.willwynn.com/

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Winter Workshop To Welcome Students with a Texas BBQ Feast

December 1, 2011 in EcoCAR 2 News by ggguestuser | No comments

In just over two months, more than 150 students and faculty advisors will travel to Austin, Texas for the Year One Winter Workshop, co-hosted by Freescale and dSPACE, Inc. To kick things off in true Texas fashion, EcoCAR will host its welcome night dinner at none other than the Thurman Mansion catered by Salt Lick!

A rustic two-story native limestone building, the Thurman Mansion sits just outside of Austin in Driftwood, Texas. The dinner will be catered by the Mansion’s neighbor, the Salt Lick. Winner of TODAY’s 2009 BBQ Challenge and rated “Best BBQ Restaurant” every year from the Austin Chronicle since 2000, the Salt Lick represents true Texas barbecue. Students and faculty advisors can enjoy beef brisket, ribs, sausage, and all of the traditional southern side dishes that date back to the late 1800s!

Want to learn more on why the Salt Lick is one of the best barbecue restaurants in Texas? Check out this episode of Man vs. Food!

Registration will soon be open, but in the meantime, get your taste buds ready for some true Texas BBQ at the Winter Workshop Welcome Night on February 1, 2012!

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