#SasolSolarChallenge alumn Vera Leeman showcasing how the lessons learned on the road here in South Africa leave a lasting impression that goes well beyond the event! 🌍 ☀️ All of the best with the continuation of your studies Vera! Sasol
Back to studying after an incredible year with Solar Team Twente☀️ Last year, I put my studies on hold to join the very first Innovation Edition of Solar Team Twente as a Research and Development Engineer. During the year, me and 6 other students gave everything to make innovations to Solar Team Twente's latest car. As R&D engineer, I had the opportunity to take on many interesting projects such as applying an aerodynamic riblet film to reduce surface drag, designing vortex generators to minimize wake behind the license plate, and designing a system to seal gaps around the wheels. I was also responsible for the redesign of various parts and the assembly and maintainance of the mechanical systems of the car. 🏎️ After more than a year of hard work, we put our solarcar to the test during the Sasol Solar Challenge —a demanding eight-day journey from Johannesburg to Cape Town. The goal was to cover as many kilometers as possible, driving extra loops along the route. During the challenge, I set aside my technical responsibilities to focus on driving the solar car. Our core team of 7 grew to 37 for the event and together we optimized strategy, teamwork, and operations to navigate the challenging route as efficiently as possible. Our hard work paid off, as we finished in second place 🥈 Now that this amazing adventure has come to an end, I have returned to the University of Twente to focus on completing my Master’s degree in Biorobotics📚.
