A render of the accumulator from Mk.5, our previous car.
This year I am leading the accumulator subteam on my Formula SAE Electric team, where I am focusing on designing and building our car’s high voltage battery pack (accumulator). Some of the projects I have worked on in this role include single cell testing to inform the ideal cell and battery pack configuration for our car's requirements, conducting materials testing on the structural composites we use in our accumulator, and managing my team of 12 engineers.
Our previous car, Mk.5, did not pass technical inspection at competition, so my focus on this year's accumulator has been making major design changes to address the biggest shortcomings of our previous design. These changes include moving the electrical systems to the top of the enclosure for better access for servicing, pivoting from a spot welded battery pack to a wirebonded pack to outsource manufacturing, and redesigning the cooling system. Working on this project has strengthened my skills in analyzing and designing a full engineering system.
I have also greatly grown as a leader and project manager through leading the accumulator team. I run weekly meetings for my team, ensuring our design stays on track for our timeline and checking that my subteam has any resources they need to effectively work on their projects. I have also worked to onboard new members to my team, making sure I am providing an inclusive, welcoming space for them to learn and have fun.
Our team's website can be found here.