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Physics professor Valeri Petkov (left) accepts the President's Award from CMU President Michael Rao (right) on March 19, 2008. The President's Award is CMU's most prestigious research award, recognizing the career achievements of senior faculty members. Petkov is a leading international expert in the emerging field of nanocrystallography. His findings have laid the groundwork for a new discipline in physics.

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Achievements and Awards

CMU SAE chapter named best in class

MEDIA CONTACT: Kristi DePaul Ries, (989) 774-1072
PROGRAM CONTACT: Benjamin Ritter, (989) 774-3134

March 3, 2008

Building and racing Baja vehicles has earned Central Michigan University's Society of Automotive Engineers a place of national prominence.

CMU's SAE chapter has been honored as first in its class with the SAE International's 2007 Honeywell Outstanding Collegiate Branch Award.

The award recognizes SAE branches for exemplary performance in the areas of membership and recruitment, technical meetings, networking opportunities, SAE Collegiate Design Series teams, and community service programs. Class two CMU joins class one winner University of Michigan and class three winner University of Auburn in holding top honors.

Seniors Quinlan Henry of Harrison and Robert Bradley of Saint Johns lead CMU's chapter. The duo regularly devotes more than 40 hours per week to managing the club, including designing, constructing, and racing the Baja cars. The group also is responsible for fundraising and making travel plans. The team's winning record includes first and second place wins at the Winter Baja race in Houghton.

"Baja racing is a good challenge and its fun," Bradley said. "It's incredible how our efforts have paid off and how we have risen to become a top competitor in national and international races."

Henry describes the club as a creative effort, something that the team puts its "heart and soul" into and ultimately, secures high rankings.

CMU's chapter boasts a membership of 50 undergraduate students from a variety of majors. Students are actively engaged in the design and construction of Baja vehicles, which must endure races over rough terrain like rocks, ice, snow, and water. Obstacles of an administrative nature for SAE members include fundraising for travel expenses and lodging, as well as soliciting donations of vehicle parts from businesses.

Faculty member Ben Ritter advises the students, who will travel to Tennessee and Illinois for races this May. In June, the team will participate in a competition in Montreal.

Henry and Bradley will formally receive the award and the $800 cash prize in Detroit at the SAE 2008 World Congress Faculty Advisers Meeting on April 15, 2008. Both agree that the money will be a big help in offsetting travel costs.

	CMU honors Douglass with Woman of the Year Award
	CMU honors McNaught with Excellence in Teaching Award
	CMU professor's textbook receives national award
	CMU dominates statewide GIS competition
	CMU research team earns top honors at conference

2007

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