March 28, 2022
As part of our FYDP/Capstone 2022 spotlights, we’re excited to introduce team 24 from Chemical Engineering: and their project “Musqueam Indian Band Fleet Electrification”!
Can you explain your project in one sentence?
The purpose of our work is to quantify the environmental and health benefits of switching the band’s existing combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles as well as designing an on-site energy harvesting system to power the fleet.
What has been the best part of your project so far?
The best part of the project so far has been identifying the concrete emissions that will be eliminated with the replacement of the vehicles. A lot of projects are theoretical and hard to picture in motion, but this allows us to see the impacts of our research.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced during your project?
The biggest challenge we have faced as a group is designing a system that aligns best with the priorities of the Musqueam community. It has been challenging making sure that all decisions were made with the priorities of the community in mind. Getting a good definition of their needs and planning for that took a lot more back and forth than expected.
What’s next for your team members once you’re finished?
Cameron will be attending UBC Bachelor of Education program on the route to becoming a high school math and chemistry teacher. Grace will be seeking full-time employment in IT and software management consulting. Lauren has accepted a position at PepsiCo in Alberta working as a Continuous Improvement Engineer. Melina is pursuing a job in the oil & energy field working for Imperial Oil.