Buffalo Team Earns "Rookie" Award at Solar Splash

By Sue Wuetcher

Release Date: July 17, 2001 This content is archived.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Buffalo entry in Solar Splash 2001, the eighth annual solar/electric boat regatta held June 20-24 on Hoyt Lake in Delaware Park, earned the "Outstanding Rookie Team" award in the contest.

The Buffalo boat, making its first appearance in Solar Splash, placed eighth overall out of the 16 entries.

The Buffalo team, which was comprised of members of the University at Buffalo student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and members of the Erie Community College student chapter of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), advanced to the semi-final round of the sprint competition, just missing the cutoff for the championship round in that event.

The team placed first in the consolation round of the endurance competition, also just missing the championship round. In that consolation round, the Buffalo boat completed enough laps that it would have finished in the middle of the pack had it competed in the championship heat, according to William Rae, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor in the UB Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and faculty advisor to the team.

The UB students participating on the team were David Howe of Greenville, Matt Bernfeld of Clay, Parimal Patel of Fulton, Charles Nasca of Fulton, Jeremiah Rauch of Fulton and Stephanie Raymond of Rensselaer. Patel piloted the boat during the competition.

The Office of UB Provost Elizabeth D. Capaldi contributed $1,500 to the entry.

Solar Splash, designed as a practical educational experience to help develop teamwork and interdisciplinary skills, is presented by Advanced Energy Competitions, a not-for-profit company funded by ASME to manage Solar Splash and other activities of the ASME Committee on Solar Energy. Solar Splash also was sponsored by UB and its Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, the Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and the undergraduate Student Association; the City of Buffalo; Erie County; the Greater Buffalo Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Buffalo Yacht Club.