Inaugural A World In Motion Fuel Cell Olympics Winner Announced

WARRENDALE, PA--April 21, 2011: SAE International hosted the first-ever A World In Motion® (AWIM) Fuel Cell Olympics on Thursday, April 14, during the SAE 2011 World Congress in Detroit. The event hosted more than 150 students from southeast Michigan to increase educational access to scientific, real world concepts for K-12 students.

The Fuel Cell Olympics were sponsored by the GM Foundation.

Competitors used distilled water in a reversible Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell to produce hydrogen which is then used by the fuel cell as an energy source to power an electric motor in the car. Like other A World In Motion events, it is focused on explaining scientific concepts to students in a hands-on environment that is easily approachable.

There were four different categories for students to compete in, including an accuracy, distance, weight and time category. The event involved many area elementary and middle schools. Students were assisted by teachers and volunteers.

The grand champion of the 2011 Fuel Cell Olympics was St. Michael the Archangel School (team 42) from Livonia, Mich.

AWIM is dedicated to providing K-12 students with hands-on experiences that demonstrate the relevance of science. It incorporates the laws of physics, motion, flight and electronics into age-appropriate hands on activities that reinforce classroom curriculum. The program shows the practical applications beyond the classroom, anchoring textbook concepts to real events and careers.

SAE International is a global association of more than 128,000 engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries. SAE International's core competencies are life-long learning and voluntary consensus standards development. SAE International's charitable arm is the SAE Foundation, which supports many programs, including A World In Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series.