ABOUT US
👥 Who We Are
Cornell ChemE Car is a student-run project team founded in 2004 with the mission of building model cars powered and stopped entirely by chemical reactions. With ~35 active members from diverse academic backgrounds, we combine chemical engineering, mechanical design, electronics, and teamwork to compete in AIChE’s ChemE-Car competitions at the regional and national level.
🚗 What We Do
Each year, we bring 2 cars to competition: one powered by a chemical battery, and one powered by a gas-generating pressure reaction (the ‘Battery Car’ and the ‘Pressure Car’). The goal? Travel a precise, unknown distance that is announced the day of competition. Precision, control, and chemistry are key.
🎉 Our Team Culture
What sets our team apart is our people. We’re a collaborative, tight-knit community where we genuinely support each other in and out of the lab. Go into any meeting, and you’ll find that teamwork, mentorship, and real friendships are at the core of our culture!
❗️ Our Subteams
We’re organized into eight subteams, each focusing on a critical piece of the project:
1. 🔋 Battery Alpha: Our battery teams operate on a two-year alternating cycle. While one competes, the other focuses on research and development. This year, Battery Alpha is in its R&D phase, exploring new chemistries after taking a lead-acid battery to regionals last year.
2. 🔋 Battery Omega: Our battery teams operate on a two-year alternating cycle. While one competes, the other focuses on research and development. Battery Omega is in its competition year and currently developing a Zinc-Copper battery with a polymer electrolyte, as well as performing R&D for a thermoelectric generator (TEG).
3. 💼 Business: The Business team keeps the whole operation running. From budgeting and scheduling to sponsor outreach and social media, they handle the logistics that make everything possible. They are also responsible for merch design!
4. 💡 Electronics: Electronics designs and builds the electronic systems that bring our cars to life. They create custom circuits and clever gadgets that control the battery-powered car, and also engineer solutions to collect data during test runs and competition for all teams.
5. ⚙️ Mechanical : Mechanical designs and builds the physical structure of our vehicles, from the chassis to custom mounts and enclosures. They also collaborate closely with Electronics to integrate new components and custom features into each car.
6. 🧪 Potions: Potions creates the stopping reactions that bring our cars to a halt at just the right moment. Using precise clock reactions, their work integrates with electronics to ensure timed stopping. Potions is currently in their R&D phase as they prepare for the next regionals with the Battery Car.
7. 💨 Pressure: Pressure is our only non-electrical power team. Their car runs on gas generated from chemical reactions, with no batteries involved. Pressure is currently working on calibrating for nationals this upcoming fall, after their successful 1st place at regionals in Spring 2025.
7. 🔬 RDC (Research, Development & Consulting): RDC explores emerging ideas and supports the entire team through innovation. This year, they’re working on a thermoelectric generator (TEG) integration and developing a hydrogen peroxide decomposition reaction using catalase, which could be used in the Pressure car.
