SAE First Place National Award Caps Outstanding Year for UA Engineering Students

Akron, Ohio, Oct. 17, 2001 — University of Akron Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) students added a final award to a 2000-2001 academic year fueled with accomplishments and honors. SAE International named UA a first place recipient of the 2000 SAE Outstanding Collegiate Branch Award.

Max Rumbaugh, Jr., executive vice president of SAE International, and Dr. S.M. Shahed, 2002 SAE president-elect and vice president, Advanced Products and Systems, Honeywell, presented University officials and students with a plaque and a $500 check to further the chapter's scientific and educational goals.

"I am most encouraged by the student activities and accomplishments," says Dr. Shahed. "I am pleased to witness that the future of engineering is in good hands."

"These students represent a unique group of individuals who put their hearts into projects and don't give up," adds Rumbaugh. "I'm impressed with the high standards and criteria The University of Akron sets for student projects. Students must present and justify their proposals and budgets. That's how it is in the real world."

This award adds to UA's dominance as a leading national SAE chapter. UA students won more design competitions in the 1990s than SAE teams from all other Ohio colleges and universities combined. 2000-2001 first place awards in the Mini Baja Midwest Competition and regular class Aero Design West Competition show UA students are continuing that record.

Since entering their first SAE competition in 1990, Akron students have set world records and captured 11 first place Aero Design awards, five firsts in Mini Baja Competition and a 1999 first place in the prestigious Formula Car Competition.

SAE team advisors Dr. Richard Gross and Dr. Jerry Drummond, associate professors of mechanical engineering, say their students are preparing diligently for the 2001-2002 campaign that kicks off in April. "We just ask them to do their best," Gross says. "Their results demonstrate creativity and pride in their work."

The University of Akron is the public research university for northern Ohio. Founded in 1870, it is the only public university in Ohio with a science/engineering program ranked among the nation's top five by U.S. News & World Report. The University of Akron excels in such areas as polymer science, global business, marketing and intellectual property law.

Serving approximately 24,358 students, the University offers more than 350 associate, bachelor's, master's, doctoral and law degree programs and approximately 100 certificate programs at its main campus in Akron, its Wayne College branch campus in Orrville, and at sites throughout Medina and Summit counties. For more information, visit www.uakron.edu.

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