As part of Michigan Technological University’s summer youth programs, Women in Engineering (WIE) and Explorations in Engineering (EIE) allowed high school students to experience and try out engineering options at Michigan Tech. The program goals were to introduce engineering and give a basic understanding of all the engineering disciplines offered at the university. Each engineering discipline put on a program that included informational sessions and a related activity. The Chemical Engineering department introduced students to polymers, chemical mixtures/reactions, and the field of alternative fuels.

To represent the alternative fuels aspect of Chemical Engineering, members of the Alternative Fuels Group enterprise (AFG) explained fuel cell operation, described the components involved in a fuel cell, demonstrated the operation of a fuel cell, and described their current projects using these fuel cells. The students were able to see how efficiently and quietly the fuel cell ran while powering a plasma ball and a disco ball.

During the explanation, the history of electrochemistry was used to show that the technology was not just recently discovered. This tied into a brief discussion on why cars are not propelled by fuel cells because of fuel infrastructure and cost, among other issues.

As a wrap up, AFG members told students about the unique enterprise option at Michigan Tech. AFG explained that enterprise can be used to replace senior design courses and allows students to gain real world experience while actively taking courses. AFG also told students about their contract with TACOM and the vehicle, called a ‘Mule,’ which they are designing and constructing. Students eyes perked as they found out AFG is working with the government on a hybrid vehicle.

As a conclusion to the alternative fuels in Chemical Engineering presentation, program participants were given the opportunity to drive one of AFG’s retrofit vehicles, a John Deere eGator, which uses a fuel cell in parallel with the existing batteries to extend its driving life beyond factory specifications. Since the components were mounted in the bed of the eGator, students could see how AFG members integrated the fuel cell into the working system.

The eGator project also demonstrated student work, research, and involvement at Michigan Tech and in industry. It also serves as a display for the enterprise program, and acts as a visual representation of a fuel cell in action, facilitating the information told to the participants in the discussion prior to driving.

Program participants walked away with an understanding of alternative fuels, fuel cell operation, and real world application of fuel cell research through the Alternative Fuels Group enterprise.

The following pictures illustrate the program in action. For more information, please contact Jason Keith at jmkeith@mtu.edu.

Figure 1. WIE participant and Nick Kozenka showing eGator and all the components that AFG members installed.

Figure 2. One section of the WIE participants awaiting eGator rides

Figure 3. A second group of WIE participants along with Michael Miller of AFG.

Figure 4. WIE/EIE youth instructors with eGator and student.

Figure 5. Two WIE participants working on micro-rockets experiment.

Figure 6. WIE group on lab tour with Kit Mun, a summer youth instructor.

Figure 7. Michael Shaffer explaining eGator set up to WIE group.

Figure 8. WIE participants in the mirco-rockets experiment.

Figure 9. WIE participants during AFG fuel cell demonstration

Figure 10. Nick Kozenka and WIE participant on eGator ride.

Figure 11. Nick Kozenka using WIE participants to show how a PEM fuel cell operates.

Figure 12. WIE participant flipping the switch to start up the fuel cell.