Formula student as part of a
mechanical engineering
curriculum
Dr Huw Davies – ENGIN
Presentation Structure
• Formula Student
• What was the purpose of this work?
• How did I go about the project?
• Data analysis and interpretation
• Summary
Formula Student
“Promotes careers and engineering excellence,
by challenging university students to design,
build, develop market and compete as a team
with a small single seater race car” (IMechE)
What was the purpose of this work?
Explore the value of the Formula Student activity
• Evaluate benefits
• Define good practice
Exploratory
• Aimed at generating hypotheses for later investigation
rather than for purposes of illustrating
How did I go about the project?
Qualitative Investigation: Focus on answering a question
Exploration: In depth semi-structured interviews
Methodology: Seven Stages of an Interview investigation1
Thematizing
Designing
Interviewing
Transcribing
Analyzing
Verifying
Reporting
1 Kvale,
S. 1996. Interviews: An Introduction to Qualitative Research Interviewing. Sage, Thousand Oaks
Designing and Interviewing
• Selected interviewees
• Defined three stakeholder groups
– Students
– Universities
– Engineering Profession
• Selection is an area of possible bias
• Interviews were semi-structured and free flowing
• Examined the interviewee’s belief in the value of
Formula Student in a higher educational environment
Transcribing and Analysing (1)
Analysing qualitative data generally involves
• Thematic exploration (based on words, concepts, literary
devises, and non-verbal cues)
Interview Comments
Margin note 1
Margin note 2
collaborative working
interpersonal skills
course link
self-directed learning
It is a volunteer activity and very difficult to manage it.You can tell them to do it and inspire them to do it. The policy is to let
them get on with it and track progress with regular two week meetings. If they go off track then (politely) give them the boot.
mentorship and leadership
self-managed teams
Teaching the students to make sensible decisions
mentorship and leadership
engineering challenge
problem solving
Motivation is key and links to motorsport industry has positive influence on students morale (example Jock Clear and Ross
Brawn visiting students)
motivation and dedication
real-world design
industry support
non technical skills
communication skills
Experience of coping with people / team management.
Final year projects are supportive and can be sequenced / clustered in order to bring in innovation.
Good documentation encoutges professional engineering practise
Margin note 3
Transcribing and Analysing (2)
Analysing qualitative data generally involves
• Moving through cycles of inductive and deductive reasoning
(Identify and develop; Group together and refine where
possible; adding to and refining)
Margin note 1
Margin note 2
Margin note 3
collaborative working
interpersonal skills
course link
self-directed learning
mentorship and leadership
self-managed teams
mentorship and leadership
engineering challenge
problem solving
motivation and dedication
real-world design
industry support
non technical skills
communication skills
A
B
C
D
X
X
E
X
X
UK SPEC
X
X
X
X
X
X
Data analysis and interpretation (1)
What is the opinion of students?
‘There is the flexibility to make things happen in terms of innovation’
‘Students who are heavily involved with Formula Student graduate with a far better understanding of project
management, time and resource management and the engineering design process’
‘In addition, because they will have been involved in managing the work of other students and technical staff,
they [students involved with Formula Student] generally have better people skills’
‘It has to conform to industry standard design practises, professionalism and the need to improve’
Key Themes
A. Enables engagement in the creative and innovative development of mechanical engineering technology
B. Provides the opportunity to follow the design process through into product or service realisation and its
evaluation
C. Enables students to plan, budget, organise, direct and control tasks, people and resources
D. Enables students to: resolve conflicts and create, maintain and enhance productive working
relationships; communicate with others at all levels; and present and discuss proposals
E. It is a starting point on the route to continuing professional development necessary to maintain and
enhance competence in own area of practice
Data analysis and interpretation (2)
What is the opinion of the universities?
‘Formula Student offers a means of stretching students into high-end design and analysis work, beyond that
offered by the other projects’
‘The students need to make design decisions and more importantly make it work’
‘The students are required to develop partnerships with industry [to access facilities/funding]’
‘Formula Student car is used in a range of recruitment activities, particularly as part of Open Days’
Key Themes
A. Provides a platform to learn and develop new mechanical engineering theories and techniques
B. Provides an opportunity to produce concept designs, and develop these into detailed designs
C. Enables students to take responsibility for and control project operations
D. Enables students to: identify, agree and lead work towards collective goals; prepare and deliver
presentations on strategic matters; and prepare letters, documents and reports on complex matters
E. Enables student involvement in the promotion of mechanical engineering through relevant institution
activities
Data analysis and interpretation (3)
What is the opinion of the engineering profession?
‘It is the objective to open up Formula Student with innovation such as by-wire systems and torque vectoring,
but safety is paramount’’
‘It is important that students experience working to time and plan and what happens to that when things go
wrong’
‘World of work is delivery orientated and Formula Student instils this as it is delivery focused’
‘Formula Student is a mechanism to develop / empower student design decisions’
‘The IMechE wants to attract more students into engineering and also wants more high quality graduates
going out into industry. Formula Student covers both of these’
Key Themes
A. Enables the promotion of new technologies
B. Provides the student with the opportunity to implement design solutions and evaluate their effectiveness
C. Provides the student with the opportunity to plan programmes and delivery of tasks, and identify
resources and costs
D. Provides the student with the opportunity to identify, agree and work towards collective goals
E. Demonstrates a commitment to the profession and to the assistance of others with their own professional
development, in particular young engineers
Summary (1)
‘…we expect more creativity, more innovation, more
excellent technical skills…that will maintain the
activities in the UK.’ 1
Formula student:
• supports nascent R&D activity.
• provides students with the greatest design
experience.
1RAEng
(2006). Educating Engineers for the 21st Century: The Industry View
Summary (2)
‘Technical skills must be supported by enabling skills
that allow the engineer to operate effectively in a
commercial working environment: communication
skills; team-working skills; business awareness of the
commercial implications of engineering decisions.’1
Formula Student
• integrates business knowledge / skills with the
engineering / design skills
• pushes students to have a greater appreciation of
value
1RAEng
(2006). Educating Engineers for the 21st Century: The Industry View
Summary (3)
Engineering courses must become better aligned with
the changing needs of business and industry. In
particular, more and better quality project work is
needed, based around real-life problems, ideally
delivered in collaboration with industry.1
Formula Student:
– Motivates departments and students to look
outside for partnerships with industry.
– Promotes communication between students and
external organisations.
1RAEng
(2006). Educating Engineers for the 21st Century: The Industry View
Summary (4)
‘It is important that we....ensure that we are providing
education, training and challenges that address the
future needs of industry, motivate students to come
into engineering and stay in the profession.’1
Formula Student
• Supports recruitment of young students to
university
• Fosters relationships which go beyond the Formula
Student project itself.
1RAEng
(2006). Educating Engineers for the 21st Century: The Industry View
Formula Student: Educating
Engineers for the 21st Century
Engineering course for the 21st Century
Industry engagement with undergraduate education
Status of University Teaching
Creativity, technology and business teaching
Filling the ‘Pipeline’
Final Thought
So what do we need to do to teach design?
We need to set theory in context for students,
develop critical thinking skills and then give
them an opportunity to gain experience and
awareness of design in multi-disciplined team
environments.
We need Formula Student!
invite questions and thoughts about how this
type of initiative might translate to other
Schools?