Local Girls Use STEM to Turn Recycled Refrigerators into Solar-Powered Racecars
June 30 2016 - 11:09AM
Business Wire
ComEd’s Icebox Derby brings 30 teen girls from
across Chicagoland together to shine the sun on STEM in annual
summer competition
This week ComEd kicked off the Icebox Derby, an educational
competition involving 30 teen girls from across Chicagoland who
will work in teams to transform recycled refrigerators into
electric racecars. New to this year’s program, the young women also
will explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)
through the scope of renewable energy, building and powering parts
of their cars with solar technology.
In addition to enhanced aerodynamics, the 2016 Icebox Derby cars
will each have two, 30-watt solar panels to power accessories like
LED headlights, a car horn, and a helmet with two-way communication
capabilities. The cars will also feature a solar charge control
module, used to communicate between the panels and solar
components.
“For ComEd, technology and innovation are at the core of our
business. As the energy industry continues to evolve, we are in
need of a future workforce that is able to anticipate and solve the
technical problems of today and the digital challenges of tomorrow.
We are committed to creating opportunities like the Icebox Derby to
offer hands-on experiences to young women in the STEM subjects,”
said Anne Pramaggiore, President and CEO of ComEd. “As an energy
company, we also recognize the value of solar energy and its
important role in the years to come. Incorporating renewable energy
into Icebox Derby is just one of the ways ComEd is working to
jumpstart solar in Illinois, and also train the workforce who will
help us lead the way.”
In the coming weeks, the girls will work to build their cars
from the ground – or rather fridge – up. The Icebox Derby is
intended to help increase interest STEM and awareness amongst women
by providing a hands-on educational platform by which girls, ages
13-18, get to work closely with ComEd mentors and other technical
experts to learn about practical applications of STEM in the world
and in the workforce. Important lessons about teamwork and safety
are also closely tied to this initiative.
This is the third year of the program and on August 13, the new
teams will put their solar-powered fridge cars to the test in a
head-to-head race with their fellow Icebox Derby Racers to take
home the STEM Cup, scholarship money and other prizes. Each Icebox
Derby contestant will receive a scholarship for completing the
program and the first place winners in the 2016 race will win a
prize to be revealed at a later date. Find out more about the
program by visiting www.theiceboxderby.com.
Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based
Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation’s leading competitive
energy provider, with approximately 10 million customers. ComEd
provides service to approximately 3.8 million customers across
northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population. For
more information visit ComEd.com, and connect with the company on
Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160630005873/en/
ComEd Media Relations(312) 394-3500www.ComEd.com/News
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