RESEARCH NEWS
Deakin only Australian uni selected for Ford’s global challenge!
Deakin University is one of just five universities worldwide, and the only Australian university, selected to take part in the “Creating a Ford Model T for this Century University Challenge”.
The aim of the challenge, set up by the Ford Motor Company as part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the fabled Model T - the car the changed the 20th Century - is to come up with a revolutionary concept that will drive the future of the automotive industry.
Deakin’s concept proposal will be delivered to Ford in early September. The two
concepts that best meet the Challenge criteria will be announced at the celebration
of the 100th anniversary of the Model T on 1 October.
The winning teams will each receive a US$25,000 scholarship from Ford Global Technologies.
The Head of Deakin’s School of Engineering and Information Technology, Professor Kate Smith-Miles, said that Deakin’s involvement in the Challenge was a fantastic opportunity for the University.
“It is a great honour that Ford has selected Deakin to be the only Australian university to be involved in the Model T Challenge,” Professor Smith-Miles said.
“Taking part in the Challenge will allow Deakin to showcase the innovation and skills of our Engineering and IT researchers and students to an international audience.
“Our invitation is recognition of the long standing partnership between Deakin University and Ford, both locally and in the USA via collaborative R&D programs, and also through the provision of undergraduate and postgraduate programs to the employees of Ford Australia.”
The Challenge will be undertaken by staff and students from Deakin’s School of Engineering and Information Technology, School of Architecture and Building, and Centre for Materials and Fibre Innovation.
They might discover they just have a unique advantage not available to other participating universities.
Emeritus Professor John Duncan has been visiting Deakin for the past 10 years as the guest of the university’s first Federation Fellow, Professor Peter Hodgson.
Professor Duncan’s family has been involved in the manufacturing of the Model T from 1909 and he has just written his own history of the car to coincide with the centenary.
The Deakin team will have four months and US$75,000 in funding from Ford Global Technologies to design a revolutionary vehicle that redefines the modern day car through innovation and sustainability.
Dr Bernard Rolfe, the team leader and senior lecturer with Deakin’s School of Engineering and Information Technology, said the vehicle must be simple, lightweight, compelling and practical and be able to be sold for under US$7,000.
“Rather than being just an engineering challenge, this task will require innovative ideas drawn from a variety of sources throughout the University,” Dr Rolfe said.
“Using our cutting edge research at the Centre for Materials and Fibre Innovation (CMFI), as well as drawing on the diverse skill sets throughout the University, we aim to deliver a concept portfolio including a virtual vehicle model and detailed design/proof of concept for the key innovative features of the vehicle.
“We expect to use the very best that Deakin can show, from the state-of-the-art
manufacturing at the CMFI, and the fabulous design spaces at Architecture, to the
advanced multi-media lab within Arts.”
For further information on Professor John Duncan: www.gsdm.com.au/newsletters/deakin/may07/
For more information on the School of Engineering and IT:
www.deakin.edu.au/scitech/eit/
For more information on the Centre for Material and Fibre Innovation: www.deakin.edu.au/scitech/cmfi/index.php