UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, June 9,1993
3
KU students design super-efficient cars
Engineering class designs models for top mileage
By Todd Puntney
Korean staff writer
Kansan staff writer
Members of a KU mechanical engineering class have done what would appear to be a god-send to the financially strapped college student: they have made two cars that can travel from Lawrence to Denver on a buck of gas.
Understand, though, that it only seats one, reaches a top speed of 40 miles per hour, receives its power from an engine that is smaller than a lawn mower's, and looks like a mechanical hot dog.
The mechanical engineering students, all members of the Society of Automotive Engineers, designed and built the fuel-efficient vehicles as part of a senior-level mechanical design class. The culmination of their efforts was a super-mileage vehicle race in Kalamazoo, Mich., on June 4 and 5.
One of the two teams took its vehicle, dubbed the Slip Stream, to the trace last week. But a series of faulty carburators stalled its hopes and prevented the Slip Stream from racing, except in the hotel parking lot.
Chris Johnson, Manhattan senior,
was one of the designers of the Ship
Stream, a three-wheeled, eight-foot
long, one-and-a-half foot wide vehicle
designed to get 400 miles per gallon.
The race is a competition among engineering students from schools across the country to see who gets the best mileage on one gallon of gas. The cars their owners around a 1.6-mile track six times, after which the remaining fuel is weighed and gas mileage calculated. Johnson said.
The winning vehicle this year achieved 1.131 miles per gallon
But how can it be that a bunch of college students are able to build a car that makes a Volkswagen Rabbit seem like a gas-guzzler? The secret is in the motor.
"It's powered by a two-horsepower engine that they don't even use for lawn mowers," Johnson said.
Modifications in driving also are used.
The process is repeated for the duration of the race. Mario Andretti would not be impressed.
"You accelerate as fast as you can during the race, up to 30 or 40 miles per hour, and then you coast down," he said.
Donald Gyorog, professor of mechanical engineering and the class instructor said the purpose is not to create a car that would someday be available in a dealer showroom. Working with a team to design something from scratch and then having the satisfaction of success is more important, he said.
experience, he said.
Brian Vanderlief KANSAN
"They learn a lot in the process of making something — converting your design into something that's actual and workable." Gyorng said.
"It's not necessarily something you do with a problem in another class," he said.
The class is a unique educational tool designed to give students more
The students are only given the engine — the rest they must come up with themselves. They face numerous constraints besides fuel efficiency. They must design a vehicle that, among other things, gets maximum speed while remaining safe, durable and lightweight. Additionally, the students must fund the project themselves.
"Since the money comes out of their pockets, they have to find the least expensive way possible," Gyorog said.
Johnson said his team, made up of four students, spent about $500 on their car. Because they have to spend their own money, it limits their competitiveness at the race.
"Other teams had sponsors and backing far beyond what we did." Johnson said.
Rex Bergsten, Manhattan senior and captain of the second design team, agreed.
Chris Johnson, Manhattan senior, displays the engine of the energy-efficient car he helped design. The green car was named the Sin Stream.
"We can't even compete with other schools like the University of California at Davis," he said. "They have lots of funding. Our goal for this year was to at least get a start so that next year other teams can expand on it and maybe be more competitive."
them to change speeds with constant revolutions per minute levels, as opposed to other vehicles that change speeds by adjusting rpm levels with a throttle, he said.
Bergsten's car, called the Red Sled, used a new design with an overhead cam and fuel injection on two horsepower Briggs and Stratton engine to get more power. They also used an innovative transmission that allowed
The design was intended to provide 850 miles per gallon, which was greater than what previous KU teams
"We still have a lot of things to work out," he said.
had achieved. But because of mechanical difficulties the Red Sled did not make it to Kalamazoo.
Bergsten said each team had put between 800-900 hours into their cars. Bergsten's eight-student team
put in $60 to $75 a piece
The time and financial commitments were worth it, though, because of the experience they gained, Johnsonsaid.
"I did it for the experience, and this gave me a lot of experience," he said.
Departments will join beginning fall session
Engineering to house computer science section
By Lisa Cosmillo
Kansan staff writer
The gradual merging of the department of computer science with the department of electrical and computer engineering began May 1, as recommended by the all-University program review in November 1992.
Merging the two departments will require moving the computer science department from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to the School of Engineering
The first step in a process that will last until July 1, 1997, is the discontinuation of the master's and doctoral programs in computer science. The programs will be transferred to the electrical and computer engineering department beginning in Fall 1993.
Degree requirements for students now in the programs will not change.
In the next step, four computer science professors will be invited to transfer to the combined departments. A list of the professors to be invited has not been disclosed but should be released in the next two weeks, according
to Jim Roberts, head of the electrical and computer engineering department
"I don't anticipate any major problems." Roberts said. "However, any time there is a transition there can be problems."
According to a report released by David Shulenburger, vice chancellor for academic affairs, the undergraduate program will remain in the college until the merger has been completed. Both the bachelor of arts and the bachelor of general science in computer science will be proposed for discontinuation Fall 1993, but the bachelor of science will remain.
"It's too early to say anything," Grzymala-Busse said. "We simply have little experience with this vet."
Jerzy Grzymala-Busse, professor of computer science, expressed an unfamiliarity with the procedures involved with the merger.
Students already enrolled in the discontinued programs will have three years to complete their degrees, the report said.
Earl Schweppe, professor of computer science, said the faculty were waiting to see how the processes develop over the next few weeks.
"We're sort of in a holding pattern. We'll just have to wait and see," Schwepe said.
Gender bias alleged in complaints
By Katie Greenwald
Kansan staff writer
Two women have filed complaints alleging that supervisors at the Lawrence Police Department discriminated against them on the basis of gender.
Dagna D'Ercole, police dispatcher, and Lynne Ann Pryor, former police dispatcher, filed complaints last month with the Kansas Human Rights Commission alleging that their supervisors, Lt. Ed Brunt and Sgt. Mark Warren, had discriminated against them in areas including training, evaluations, policies and shift hours.
In their complaints, the women stated that they had been "subjected to disparate treatment in working conditions."
Pryor filed a separate complaint Dec. 28, 1992, with the City of Lawrence Human Relations and Human Resources Department.
In that report, Pryor claimed that, because of her gender and pregnancy, she was denied assignments to departmental committees.
She also claimed that she withdrew an application for a secretarial position at the police department because she felt uncomfortable about the way Lt. Mike Reeves conducted the interview. She said she felt discriminated against when Reeves "indicated the person he selected would need to be on the job, not on maternity leave."
The police department referred all questions to Gerald Cooley, Lawrence city attorney, who could not be reached for comment.
Pryor, who worked for the department from September 1988 to December 1992, said that for the first three years of her employment, she was satisfied with the way she was treated. She said that because of the unequal working conditions that developed, she resigned Nov. 18, 1992.
She said that no one had questioned her motives about filing the complaint until information about it was released to the press.
"I'm afraid that the department will think I'm soliciting the press," Pryor said. "I think they have a false impression of my motives."
Because the police department would not comment, Pryor declined to discuss the specifics of the case.
"If I comment, I'd be taking advantage of the situation," she said.
Pryor said that it was not her intent to cause trouble. She said the purpose of her complaint was to motivate changes in the ways the department treats its employees. Pryor said she believed her situation still could be resolved.
D'Erecole's complaint stated that she was discriminated against because of her gender and because she openly opposed the police department's discriminatory acts. D'Erecole has worked for the department since June 1989.
In her complaint, D'Ercole stated that she filed an employee grievance Dec. 31, 1991, "as a result of receiving an unfavorable evaluation and merit raise."
D'Ercole could not be reached for comment.
Professor wins D.C. fellowship
Kansan staff writer
By Jennifer Swan
Robinson was one of 17 people appointed nationally as a White House fellow by the President's Commission on White House Fellowships.
Reggie Robinson, associate professor of law, is on his way to the nation's capital.
The fellowship, beginning September 1, will make Robinson a full-time special assistant to a cabinet head.
The road to Washington has taken Robinson through two cities and several interviews. "
Robinson attended regional interviews in April in St. Louis after applying for the program in December 1992. He was chosen as one of 35 national finalists.
Robinson does not know whose assistant he will be. He said he did not have strong feelings about what department he might work in.
The finalists then traveled to the Baltimore area for three more days of interviews.
"I have a slight preference for housing and
Reggie Robinson
Robinson and his family will stay in Washington, D.C., while he participates in the year-long program.
urban development or education," he said. "But it's only a slight preference."
"It's a chance to do real work at high levels of government and to learn about how decisions are made," Robinson said. "It's a real opportunity."
BRIEF
Previous convocations were held at Hoch Auditorium until a fire destroyed it in Summer 1991. The location then moved to Crafton-Preyer Theatre.
The Lied Center will be the new site of the University of Kansas' 128th opening convocation, which will take place Aug. 22.
The convocation will be the first official event at the center, which is scheduled for completion in September. The center will hold 2,030 people — more than any other auditorium on campus, said Nancy Kaiser-Kaplan, public relations director for the center.
"The site of the convoitation is changed to, hopefully, improve attendance," said Jim
Kansan staff report
Convocation to initiate official use of Lied Center
A new feature of the convocation will be a presentation of the winners of the Mellon and Truman奖学金 and other national awards
David Ambler, vice chancellor for student affairs, will be the master of ceremonies. Speakers will include Chancellor Gene Budig, Executive Vice Chancellor Ed Meyen, senior and student body president and T.P. Srinivasan, professor of mathematics and head of the University Senate Executive Committee.
scaly, assistant to the chancellor.
Scaly said that by having the
student attend halls, the University hoped to increase student attendance.
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