Web designer and developer Ben Collins talks about the Solar Control Panel website, where you can follow coverage of reporters embedded with the Michigan Solar Car Team. 

Go to http://www.solarcontrols.engin.umich.edu

Marcin Szczepanski, Michigan Engineering’s Multimedia Producer and one of two embedded reporters traveling to Australia with the Michigan Solar Car Team, gives you a look at his kit.

Catch all the coverage from our embedded reporters here:  http://solarcontrols.engin.umich.edu

What’s the buzz Down Under?  By Matt Nixon In order to cover the 2011 World Solar Challenge, Marcin Szczepanski and I will be heading to Australia in less than four days. On October 16th the 1,800-mile race begins in Darwin, Australia and follows a course due south, ending in the city of Adelaide. Most of the University of Michigan Solar Car Team members have been in country for close to a month. Lots of other 35 competitors are already there as well. We have a pretty good idea about the three teams that are most heavily favored but this race only takes place every two years. A lot can happen in two years. For now, the Nuon team from the Netherlands looks formidable, with a string of wins behind them. The winners (and reigning champions) of the 2009 WSC, the Japanese team from Tokai University is another strong contender. And with the catastrophe at Fukushima, they have been doubly inspired to seek out alternative forms of energy. Quantum, the 2011 University of Michigan entrant, is a remarkably light and aerodynamic vehicle. At least to us, they are the frontrunners. We’ll have to watch the race and see how everything works out. It’s the only way to dispel speculation. To that end, Marcin (who runs Visual Adventures – see his work there) will be your eyes and ears. I will be making sure that what he captures on film makes its way to the audience via social media. I will also be covering the race as an embedded journalist. We’ll be with the team during the entirety of the event. Sleeping in tents alongside the Stuart Highway at night, covering miles across one of the world’s harshest environments and helping bring to life what’s sure to be an exciting and memorable journey. The main hub for all the action, featuring near constant updates, is located here: http://solarcontrols.engin.umich.edu/ Photo by http://umsolar.tumblr.com/
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What’s the buzz Down Under? 

By Matt Nixon

In order to cover the 2011 World Solar Challenge, Marcin Szczepanski and I will be heading to Australia in less than four days. On October 16th the 1,800-mile race begins in Darwin, Australia and follows a course due south, ending in the city of Adelaide.

Most of the University of Michigan Solar Car Team members have been in country for close to a month. Lots of other 35 competitors are already there as well. We have a pretty good idea about the three teams that are most heavily favored but this race only takes place every two years. A lot can happen in two years.

For now, the Nuon team from the Netherlands looks formidable, with a string of wins behind them. The winners (and reigning champions) of the 2009 WSC, the Japanese team from Tokai University is another strong contender. And with the catastrophe at Fukushima, they have been doubly inspired to seek out alternative forms of energy.

Quantum, the 2011 University of Michigan entrant, is a remarkably light and aerodynamic vehicle. At least to us, they are the frontrunners. We’ll have to watch the race and see how everything works out. It’s the only way to dispel speculation.

To that end, Marcin (who runs Visual Adventures – see his work there) will be your eyes and ears. I will be making sure that what he captures on film makes its way to the audience via social media. I will also be covering the race as an embedded journalist.

We’ll be with the team during the entirety of the event. Sleeping in tents alongside the Stuart Highway at night, covering miles across one of the world’s harshest environments and helping bring to life what’s sure to be an exciting and memorable journey.

The main hub for all the action, featuring near constant updates, is located here:

http://solarcontrols.engin.umich.edu/

Photo by http://umsolar.tumblr.com/

umsolar: Wave 1 will be landing in Australia shortly.
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umsolar:

Wave 1 will be landing in Australia shortly.