AUS students build Siemens Sunchaser
Siemens and American University of Sharjah (AUS) today announce the completion of the Siemens Sunchaser, the GCC region's first student-built solar powered car. The car is the result of a collaboration between Siemens LLC, the regional company of the global engineering powerhouse, Siemens AG, and the AUS College of Engineering.
Following a sponsorship agreement between Siemens and AUS early last year, eight engineering students from the university set out to design and build a solar-powered car as their undergraduate project. Designed as the regional prototype for vehicles that utilise alternative energy sources, the Siemens Sunchaser is a 1.5 horsepower car capable of moving at speeds up to 100 kilometres per hour. It harnesses its power from the sun through a series of 740 cells arranged on the body of the car in solar panels.
"With our expertise as a technology-oriented, knowledge-based company, we understand the need to foster and nurture future generations across the globe," said Joachim Kundt, CEO, Siemens LLC. "With the Siemens Sunchaser we are able to support education as well as encourage environmental sustainability, which is an important tenet for our company".
The Siemens Sunchaser will remain on the AUS campus, where future cohorts of students will be able to optimise its features for greater performance. "AUS is renowned for its emphasis on providing hands-on experience to its engineering students. With the support of Siemens, we were able to realise this goal to such an ambitious scale that our students have become the first to design and build a solar-powered car in the GCC region. We are proud to have achieved this distinction," said Dr Ameen El-Sinawi, the primary advisor of the Sunchaser project, and Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, AUS.
The relationship between Siemens and American University of Sharjah goes back several years. Internships at Siemens have resulted in some AUS students being employed at the company.
AUS is one of 600 colleges and universities that Siemens is in contact with globally as part of its Generation21 corporate citizenship platform. Under this platform, Siemens operates and supports a wide range of projects around the world that take a novel approach to encouraging and supporting an interest among young people in the natural sciences, engineering, technological advances, and current affairs.
For more information about the Siemens Sunchaser, please visit www.siemenssunchaser.com
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Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering, operating in the industry, energy and healthcare sectors. The company has around 430,000 employees (in continuing operations) working to develop and manufacture products, design and install complex systems and projects, and tailor a wide range of solutions for individual requirements. For over 160 years, Siemens has stood for technological excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality. In fiscal 2008, Siemens had revenue of €77.3 billion and income from continuing operations of €5.9 billion (IFRS). Further information is available on the Internet at: www.siemens.com.
For more information on Generation21 and other Siemens corporate citizenship activities, please visit: www.siemens.com/corporate_citizenship
American University of Sharjah (AUS) was founded in 1997 by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the UAE and Ruler of Sharjah, who envisioned the university as a leading educational institution in the Gulf region. AUS is an independent, not-for-profit coeducational institution. It is licensed in the United States by the Department of Education of the State of Delaware and accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, 215 662 5606). AUS is also licensed by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and all undergraduate and graduate programs are recognized by the ministry and have been awarded either accreditation or accreditation-eligible status. All six of the bachelor degree programs in the AUS College of Engineering are accredited by ABET of the United States. AUS offers 21 bachelor's degrees, 41 minors and 13 master's degrees programs.
Media contacts
Marie-Claire Rees
Corporate Communications Manager
Siemens LLC
T: +971 4 366 0009
F: +971 4 366 0031
M: +971 50 456 9317
marie-claire.rees@siemens.com
www.siemens.ae
Farid Alvie
Office of Public Affairs
American University of Sharjah
T: +971 6 515 2210
F: +971 6 515 2288
M: +971 50 631 1682
falvie@aus.edu
www.aus.edu
© Press Release 2009
