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Workshops

Dates & Locations
When What Where
Saturday
September 14, 2024
9am - 3:30pm		 Teams Workshop
(Workshop Presentations)		 Trinity I
DFW Marriott & Golf Club
Friday
January 17, 2025		 Reception for Adults attending Specialty Workshop DFW Marriott & Golf Club
Friday-Sunday
January 17-19, 2025		 Specialty Workshop
(Workshop Presentations, Recorded Video)		 The Paddock
DFW Marriott & Golf Club

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who Should Attend? Any interested teacher or student that wants to build a high school solar car project in preparation for a Solar Car Challenge race.
How Many Can Attend? Please limit your attendance to no more than ten students per school.
How Much Does it Cost? Nothing.
Is a Reservation Required? Yes. Please fill out the reservation form no later than one week in advance of the workshop. Teams will receive a formal registration receipt (by return email) that will be their ticket of admission for the workshop, and put that group on a mailing list for workshop announcements. The Solar Car Challenge Foundation will not be responsible for students, teachers, or teams arriving at the workshop without a formal registration receipt.
When are the Workshops? Scroll up to the top of this page for the dates and locations.
Do teachers get credit for attending the workshop? The Solar Car Challenge is an official provider of CPE hours as authorized by the Texas Education Agency.

Specialty Workshop Reservation

Please complete the following information to request a reservation for the Specialty Workshop no later than one week in advance.

Teacher Name
Teacher Email
Teacher Mobile Phone
School Name
School Address
Number Attending

Photos
 

2024 Teams Workshop Agenda
Hosted by Oncor and Lockheed Martin
Trinity I Ballroom, DFW Marriott & Golf Club
9:00 AM Welcome to the Teams Workshop and Race Philosophy
What's ahead for the Solar Car Challenge in 2025
9:30 AM How to Develop Your Team
Presented by Dr. Lehman Marks, Race Director
  • What type of organization works best?
  • What is the right size of the team?
  • How do I get the team and parents vested in the project?
  • The Importance of a Team Calendar, Budget, and Suppliers
  • Importance of Teaching Skills Necessary to build a solar car
Comments by Mark Rose, Solar Car Team Adviser
10:15 PM Meet Prosper Solar Car Team and see their Solar Car
Dan Geiter, Team Adviser
10:45 AM The Importance of Team Communications
Presented by Christan Negratti, Foundation Board Member and Race Ambassador

Where to Find Parts for your Solar Car
Presented by Joel Pitts, Adviser to Iron Lions
11:15 AM Mini-course in Mechanical Engineering
Presented by Triton Shoup, Mechanical Lead Judge, Solar Car Challenge
12:00 PM Lunch Break
1:30 PM Meet the Harmony School of Innovation Solar Car Team and see their Car
Madelayne Ramirez, Team Adviser
2:00 PM Mini-course in Electrical Engineering
Solar car electrical systems, battery technology, and safety issues.
Presented by Brian Coleman, Adviser to the Somerset HS Solar Car Team, KY

Station 2 Electrical Scrutineering - Common Issues & Good Practices
Presented by Liam Hubbard, Electrical Lead Judge, Solar Car Challenge
2:45 PM What to Expect from a Cross-Country Race
Presented by Brandon Ching, SCC Board Member and Race Auditor
3:15 PM Presentation of Rules for the 2025 Solar Car Challenge
Presented by Dr. Lehman Marks, Race Director

2025 Specialty Workshop Agenda
Friday, January 17, 2025
7:30 PM Reception Honoring Teachers & Team Advisers
Red River 1 & 2, DFW Marriott
This will be a great opportunity to meet teachers, team advisers, judges, and staff taking part in the workshop. [Adults only]
Saturday, January 18, 2025
8:00 AM Welcome, and Overview of the 2025 Solar Car Challenge
Dr. Lehman Marks, Race Director & Founder, Solar Car Challenge Foundation
8:30 AM KEYNOTE SPEECH: Mark Westlake (video)
Director of the Saint Thomas Academy Innovation Center, Farmington, MN
9:00 AM How to Start Your Solar Car Team and Promote Your Project (video)
Brent Dragoo, PhD, Team Advisor to the Liberty Christian Solar Car Team
9:45 AM Building Solar Cars [Materials Technology]
Where to find materials for the Solar Car Project (video)
Joel Pitts, Team Advisor to the Greenville High School Solar Car Team, Texas
10:15 AM Meet the Iron Lions Solar Car Team
Hear about their plans to race in the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, a 3000 km race across the Australian Outback.
Coffee Break
See the record-breaking Iron Lions Solar Car and meet their team from Greenville, Texas
11:00 AM Solar Car Construction (video)
What it takes to actually build the solar car, and the skills required.
Mark Rose, Adviser to multiple solar car teams
11:45 AM The Importance of Reliable Mechanical Diagrams and Schematics (video)
Brian Coleman, Team Adviser to the Somerset High Solar Car Team, Kentucky
Classic Team Division Winner in the Siemens Mechanical Drawing Competition
Lunch Break
1:30 PM Energy Modeling Optimization
The process of using telemetry to its fullest potential
Shannon Caraway, Team Adviser, Covenant Cougars Solar Car Team
2:15 PM Why you should apply to be an Intern for the Solar Car Challenge (video)
Triton Shoup, Lead Mechanical Judge, Solar Car Challenge
2:30 PM Aerodynamics (video)
Mark Westlake, Director of the Saint Thomas Academy Innovation Center
   Go farther on less!
   Simple ideas that make your care more efficient:
   Rolling resistance (tires and bearings)
   Reducing the weight of your car with composite materials
   Simple body aerodynamics (fairings and coverings)
   Complex body aerodynamics (full-size bodies)
3:30 PM New Technology for the 2025 Solar Car Challenge (video)
Eric Andrechek, Race Technology Director and
Brandon Ching, Technology Board and Solar Car Challenge Foundation Board Member
Coffee Break
4:00 PM The Importance of Solar Car Project Management (video)
William Shih, Deputy Race Director, Solar Car Challenge Foundation
4:30 PM KEYNOTE Presentation: Will Jones (video)
"Solar Car Team Recruitment and Retention"
Former Team Manager, the University of Michigan Solar Car Team
Spokesperson for the CannonballSun NY to LA Solar Drive
Dinner Break
EVENING CONCURRENT SESSIONS
7:15 PM Soldering Workshop: How to properly solder your electrical connections
Location: The Paddock
Coordinated by Chris Jones, Chief Race Judge
7:15 PM How to Develop Great Electrical Drawings
Location: San Marcos & Pecos Room
Brian Coleman, Somerset Solar Car Team Adviser
7:15 PM Mock Scrutiuneering
Location: Outside the Paddock
Coordinated by Triton Shoup, Solar Car Challenge Lead Mechanical Judge
8:30 PM Question & Answer Session with Dr. Lehman Marks
An opportunity to discuss anything
Sunday, January 19, 2025
8:30 AM Opening Keynote Presentation: Christian Negratti, SCC Board Member
"The Benefits of the Solar Car Challenge as a Learning Experience"
9:00 AM Building the Vehicle Frame - Mechanical
Chris Jones, Chief Race Judge, Solar Car Challenge Foundation
   Materials
   Safety Cell, Roll bar and crush zones
   Suspension & Steering
   Wheels and Brakes
10:30 AM Meet the Prosper Solar Car Team and see their Solar Car
Coffee Break
11:15 AM Powering the Solar Car
William Shih, Deputy Race Director, Solar Car Challenge Foundation

Photovoltaic Array
   How much energy do you need?
   Prefabricated commercial panels vs. custom order panels
   Raw cells and lamination
   Do-it-yourself arrays
   Getting energy to the batteries
   Power trackers
Electric Motors
   Brushed motors and their controllers
   Brushless motors and their controllers
   Hub motors and their controllers
Batteries
   Figuring ot the kW/h total
   Battery testing
The Importance of Battery Connections in the Solar Car Battery Box
Lunch Break
1:15 PM Power Management - How to get the most out of your Solar Car
William Shih, Deputy Race Director, Solar Car Challenge Foundation
Input v. Output - what you really get from your panel vs. what you will use going down the road. The importance of communications with your solar car driver.
2:00 PM Rules for the 2025 Solar Car Challenge - How the Race will Operate!
William Shih, Deputy Race Director, Solar Car Challenge Foundation

Workshop Presenters

Dr. Lehman Marks
Race Director and Founder, Solar Car Challenge Foundation
Former Advisor to the Winston Solar Car Team
Plano, Texas

William Shih
Deputy Race Director
Solar Car Challenge Foundation Board Member
Former Advisor to the Walnut Solar Car Team
Lakewood, California

Chris Jones
Chief Race Judge
Solar Car Challenge Foundation Board Member
Mechanical Engineer, Northrop Grumman
Covina, California

Mark Westlake
Keynote Speaker
Director of the Saint Thomas Academy Innovation Center
Farmington, Minnesota

Joel Pitts
Faculty Advisor, Greenville High School Solar Car Team
Solar Car Challenge Foundation Adviser
Greenville, Texas

Brent Dragoo, PhD
Faculty Adviser, Liberty Christian Academy Solar Car Team
Solar Car Challenge Teaching Adviser
Faculty, Baylor University, Waco, Texas

Shannon Caraway
Adviser to multiple Solar Car Teams
Former Adviser to Covenant Christian Academy Solar Car team
Colleyville, Texas

Brian Coleman
Faculty Adviser, Somerset High School Solar Car Team, Kentucky
Solar Car Challenge Teaching Adviser
Somerset, Kentucky

Enrique Elias
Team Adviser, Prosper Solar Car Team
Solar Car Challenge Teaching Adviser
Prosper, Texas

Matt Karlsen
Team Adviser, Wylie East Solar Car Team
Solar Car Challenge Welding Teacher Adviser
Wylie, Texas

Will Jones
2022 Solar Car Challenge Race Judge and Staff Coordinator
Former Team Manager, University of Michigan Solar Car Project Coordinator
Former Team Captain, Okemos Solar Car Team, Michigan
Spokesperson for the CannonballSun NY to LA solar car drive
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Eric Andrechek
Race Technology Director
Former Okemos Solar Car Team Captain
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Brandon Ching
Solar Car Challenge Board Member
Technology Board and Race Auditor
Former Coppell HS Solar Car Team
Coppell, Texas

Triton Shoup
Head Mechanical Judge, 2023 Solar Car Challenge
Former Winston Solar Car Team Captain
Dallas, Texas



Copyright (c) 1995-2025 Lehman Marks. All Rights Reserved.

Solar Car Challenge, 3505 Cassidy Drive, Plano, TX 75023
Questions about the challenge? Contact Dr. Lehman Marks, Event Coordinator