UA Hosts Engineering Automotive Workshop

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama will host a regional workshop titled, “Engineering the Automotive Future,” on Jan. 24-25 at the Bryant Conference Center. Topics include fuel cells, the hydrogen economy, hybrid electric vehicles and advanced internal combustion engines. The event is co-sponsored by UA’s Center for Advanced Vehicle Technologies.

Dr. Clark Midkiff, director of CAVT, associate professor of mechanical engineering and one of the organizers of the event, said sponsors will provide a forum where UA and regional research faculty can collaborate and receive insight into future automotive research trends.

“We, the organizers, are excited about this workshop because we have had a much larger turnout than we expected,” Midkiff said. “We are bringing in several national experts in automotive propulsion technology as well as many off-campus attendees, and we think this is a great opportunity to put UA research in the spotlight.”

The University will host more than 150 professors and industry professionals. Experts speaking at the event come from all over the country, including the University of California at San Diego, the University of Puerto Rico, and the University of Virginia. Professors attending the conference come from such schools as, Alabama A&M, Auburn University, Mississippi State University, Tuskegee University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of North Alabama and the University of South Alabama.

Event highlights include:

Tuesday, Jan. 24

• Non-noble Metals as Electrocatalysts in Fuel Cells: Issues and Prospects, Giovanni Zangari, University of Virginia at 2 p.m.
• Fuel Cell R&D for Automotive Applications at Argonne National Laboratory, Theodore R. Krause, Argonne National Laboratory at 2:20 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 25

• Research Challenges and Opportunities in Advanced Transportation Technologies over the Next Decade, Robert P. Larsen, Argonne National Laboratory at 10:10 a.m.
• Hydrogen Vehicle Safety Research at Alabama, William H. Sutton, professor and head of mechanical engineering, The University of Alabama at 10:50 a.m.
• Diesel Engines on the Road Ahead, Anil Raina, Caterpillar Inc. at 2 p.m.

All presentations will take place in the Rast Room of the Bryant Conference Center. Events begin at 8:30 a.m. both days. All activities will conclude at 5 p.m. on Tuesday and 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

Sponsors for the event are, the CAVT, the Department of Energy Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, and the Bama Technology Incubator.

The CAVT was established in 1998 to promote the development of efficient, safe, secure, economical, durable, comfortable, user-friendly and environmentally conscious vehicles to meet the transportation needs of America through discovery, research and education. Primary funding has been provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The CAVT aims to develop industrial relationships and new partnerships with key transportation-related companies and federal agencies.

In 1837, The University of Alabama became the first university in the state to offer engineering classes and was one of the first five in the nation to do so. Today, the College of Engineering has about 1,800 students and more than 95 faculty. It has been fully accredited since accreditation standards were implemented in the 1930s.