Proposed Phase II Project

We propose to host the college student run electric-assisted bicycle competition designed in the Phase I project. In this first run of the competition, 4-5 local (to Harrisonburg, VA) high school teams will design an electric-assisted bicycle that they could potentially use in congested areas. The competition will have two main components: the technical component reflecting cost, ease of maintenance, range, acceleration, weight, top speed, and visual appearance of the built bicycle and the mathematical modeling component in which teams will use mathematics or statistics to analyze or test some aspect of the design experience or built bicycle. The overall competition awards (1st, 2nd and 3rd place) will be based on the weighted performance in the seven technical categories as well as the mathematical modeling component. We also intend to recognize team spirit, design innovation, and performance on a special course as part of the event.

More Details

The research team would consist initially of undergraduates majoring in engineering, ISAT, mathematics and/or statistics, and secondary education. The research team would be charged with:

  • Traveling to local high schools to advertise the competition (a "road-show") using the bicycles built in Phase I project and promote alternative forms of transportation.
  • Mentoring the participating high school teams in each component of the competition using on-site visits and/or email contact as needed. This may include providing additional training in building the bicycles or in mathematical modeling.
  • Developing and implementing an anonymous internal assessment of the competition in order to obtain feedback from student and high-school faculty participants.
  • Running the one-day (9am-4pm) competition event on the JMU campus in mid-May 2010.

Due to the planned date of the competition (which was chosen to best suit the local high-schools) being after the JMU spring semester concludes, the faculty members will be charged with updating the competition manual and format in response to the assessment feedback received. Faculty will also be charged with supervising the competition details.

The faculty advisors will identify JMU faculty and students in the College of Business and Arts & Letters interested in developing a `marketing component' that would involve high-school art or marketing students being mentored by JMU students in similar disciplines to develop a marketing or awareness campaign for their team's bicycle.