Archive for category: Upfront

Want to know wh at kind of a car college students would design if they had the chance? Now you can.
Deep Orange 3, the third-generation Deep Orange vehicle prototype designed and engineered by automotive engineering students, was unveiled at the 2012 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, with more than 120,000 attendees and 2,000 exhibitors.
Working at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR), the students have free rein to push the boundaries of conventional design and engineering. They designed the vehicle in partnership with Mazda North American Operations and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif.
Deep Orange 3 features a unique TwinEngine hybrid powertrain that automatically chooses front-, rear- or all-wheel-drive; a load-bearing structure based on innovative sheet-folding technology patented by Industrial Origami; and a groundbreaking 3+3 seating configuration in sports car architecture all packaged in an exterior design created by students at the Art Center College of Design.
Paul Venhovens, BMW Endowed Chair in automotive systems integration, who leads the Deep Orange program, said the latest design not only provides solutions to the efficiency-vs.-sportiness debate, but also delivers driving pleasure, practicality and flexibility in a setting where everyone enjoys the ride. The vehicle accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds with a top speed of 125 mph, achieving 42 city and 49 highway miles per gallon.
Deep Orange runs the course of two academic years in parallel with Clemson’s two-year master’s program in automotive engineering. The program provides students with experience in financial and market analysis, vehicle design, development, prototyping and production planning, and gives them an opportunity to work with automotive industry partners to develop ideas.
According to Robert Davis, senior vice president of U.S. Operations for Mazda North American Operations and a Clemson alumnus, the experience students gain from Deep Orange makes them very attractive to industry. “These engineers will design and build the cars we drive tomorrow,” he said.

Professor Juan Gilbert has been named the first Presidential Endowed Chair in Human-Centered Computing. The Presidential Endowed Chair recognizes the accomplishments and dedication of current faculty at Clemson University.
“The inaugural Presidential Endowed Chair selection was particularly important because it sets the standard for all other presidential endowed chairs,” President Barker said. “We believe Juan Gilbert sets these standards at a very high level in his teaching, research, mentoring and service.” Gilbert is a professor and chair of the Human-Centered Computing Division in the School of Computing. At the forefront of his research is what Gilbert calls “innovative solutions to real-world problems.” His work addresses societal issues and integrates people, technology, policy, culture and more.
“This is a huge honor for the School of Computing and for me personally,” Gilbert said. “The funds I receive from the Endowed Chair will enable me to purchase equipment, fund students, travel, some faculty and/or post-doc salaries and more. We can do cutting-edge research at the moment of conception, and that gives us an edge.”
Researchers in Gilbert’s division gained national and international attention for multiple solutions-based technologies, including Prime III, an electronic, accessible voting system. This year, Prime III researchers put the system to use in official and mock elections around the country. Gilbert could tout many career accomplishments, but he is most proud of his students. About 10 percent of the nation’s African-American computer science faculty and Ph.D. students are at Clemson.
Provost Dori Helms said, “Endowed chair faculty stimulate the academic environment of the entire campus. They initiate, encourage and support the development of ideas and innovations that improve both social and economic well being of citizens in our state, region, country and even our world.”

Read more about Juan Gilbert’s current research at clemson.edu/media-relations/4629/clemson-university-graduate-students-solution-may-solve-voter-wait-time-issue/.