In recognition of the innovative spirit of the Ware Lab and its continued close relationship with General Motors, GM's Virginia Tech University Relations Team Coordinator Keith Van Houten presented the Ware Lab with the keys to a 2007 Z71 GMC Sierra truck on September 13th. "GM is proud to continue our long standing support of the student involvement projects ongoing at Virginia Tech's Ware Lab. The hands-on, deadline based engineering and the teamwork that students develop here are vitally important skills that we're looking for in our new hires," said Van Houten.
The Sierra, valued at $42,180, will be used to transport student design projects to testing facilities, as well as national competitions. Current student design projects housed in the Ware Lab include: Formula SAE, Baja SAE, Autonomous Rotary Wing Vehicle, Human-Powered Submarine, Hybrid Electric Vehicle (Challenge X), Fuel Cell Team, Steel Bridge Team, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Team, Human Powered Aircraft, Design Build Fly, and the MicroAir Vehicle team. "We are very grateful to General Motors for this donation. Having this vehicle available to the Ware Lab teams will make it much easier for the students to transport their projects," said Susan Cortes, Ware Lab Director.
Last year 30 Virginia Tech graduates have accepted employment with General Motors Corporation. An essential element in these employment opportunities offered by GM is the hands-on experience gained from the College of Engineering's Ware Lab. As one of the primary tour stops for prospective students, the Ware Lab is a unique learning environment for engineering students from various departments. Currently, over 400 students are involved in the various projects, either earning credit hours or by volunteer participation. For more information or to schedule a tour, please visit the Ware Lab website.