Formula Electric Knights is a SPEED (Student Projects for Engineering Experience and Design) team at Clarkson University. Their goal is to improve the technical skills of all team members while collaborating to build a race car.
Competition
Clarkson’s Formula Electric Knights was formed in 2021. The SPEED team competed at the Toronto Shootout (hosted by University of Toronto) recently during the last weekend of September 2024. and will be competing in the Formula SAE electric competition taking place at Michigan International Speedway in June 2025.
Members
The team is composed of approximately sixteen members from all different majors. Each team member is essential as building a race car takes a group and various skills to construct. Some of their majors include mechanical, electrical, and aerospace engineering.
Meilin Lamanna
Electrical engineering junior Meilin Lamanna joined the team for hands-on experiences. She said that she wanted to “learn more about real-life application” of engineering skills, which is not focused on much in classes. Lamanna said that she “wanted to really explore what I can do engineering-wise” as she likes “learning about all fields of electrical engineering.” Lamanna said that she appreciates that the competitions allow their vehicle to be raced and the outcome of their work to be seen.
Lamanna has multiple roles on the team. Lamanna is the business lead for the team, which she works on preparing a presentation to be seen by judges before the competition. Also, she focuses on working “with the low voltage and high voltage side of the team that works with powering the vehicle,” she said. As a future career, she aims to become a power engineer.
Trevor Dimezza
Trevor Dimezza, mechanical engineering junior with a minor in electrical engineering, joined the team two years ago. He said, “I was looking for a smaller team where I could do a lot of hands-on work. I wanted to gain more experience that I can use for internships and my jobs in the future and just have fun with the team as well,” he said. He wanted the “opportunity to contribute” along with focusing on the design aspect.
“My favorite part about being on the team is all the collaboration, that we are engineers from all different backgrounds… We are all working together to create one design and build one product,” he said. Career-wise, he foresees himself “being either a design or manufacturing engineer. I believe that the team will help me get to that,” he said.
The Machine Shop
The team uses the machine shop to develop the many components that go into race car building. This includes but is not limited to building and designing the drivetrain, pedal box, suspension system, and battery pack. The team also used the Speed Lab or various tasks such as to assemble circuit boards as well as storing vehicles.
Certification
In order to be able to use the equipment available in the shop, students need to have a certification which they can obtain after taking certain classes.
Unique Opportunities
This is an opportunity that usually students would not be able to have elsewhere. Lamanna said, “you really get to work hands-on like you wouldn’t in class and you get to see not only how the parts work but interlock with each other”. Students can see “how each part is made and you get to make that yourself,” she continued.
Students can enjoy using many different types of machines in the shop. These skills and knowledge can come in handy when creating manufacturing decisions, even in the future.
“I love manufacturing things,” Dimezza said.
CNC Machines
Dimezza shared that working with the CNC machines is his favorite machine available to use. Currently, the CNC machine is widely used by many shops that allows complex parts to be produced. Dimezza explained that working with modern equipment such as this “is essential to learning engineering”.
Clarkson’s Formula Electric Knights is open to members with any interest in the engineering field. The team collaborates together to develop a race car while using the machine shop at Clarkson University for hands-on experience.
How to Get Involved
1. Attend Clarkson University
The only requirement to be on the team is being a student at Clarkson University. Anyone can join the team and be involved in different aspects no matter their major or interests. Demesso said that the team is “open to new members and love having new members.”
2. Stop by the Shop and Contact the Team
Those interested should, “stop by the shop if we’re in” as well as “try to contact us,” Dimezza said. Lamanna said, “We are a very great group just to be with socially and I would encourage everyone to see what we are all about.” Students may join the team and pay dues at any given time but the earlier the better. To contact the team if needed, email formulae@clarkson.edu.
3. Ask Questions
Dimezza said that the current members of the team would teach new members to the best of their abilities. Lamanna said, anyone interested in Clarkson’s Formula Electric Knights should “jump in. Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you need to.”
