BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS – MARCH 20, 2019 – The excitement of motorsport to inspire middle and high school students to excel in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) studies is coming to the UTRGV Brownsville Campus.

The second annual UTRGV Electric Car Competition will take place Friday and Saturday, April 5-6, in front of the Biomedical Research and Health Building. Twenty-four teams representing middle schools, high schools and colleges from across South Texas will compete.

“We are so excited to bring this competition to the UTRGV Brownsville Campus,” said Milton Hernandez, project coordinator. “The students are working hard designing their cars, and will then test what they have learned at the competition. We invite the public to come out and see first-hand what our students are learning and cheer on their favorite team to victory.”

The competition is coordinated by the UTRGV Office of Community Relations through the support of sponsors to bring this STEM competition to the Rio Grande Valley.

Jim Tipton, president of Tipton Auto Group, the title sponsor, said he firmly believes in supporting education. 

“I truly believe the future is electric vehicles, and now is the time to invest in learning. My hope is that many students are inspired by this project and will continue to be focused on innovation and refined performance to make these vehicles a reality for all,” Tipton said.

The Brownsville Public Utilities Board and American Electric Power are also sponsors and helping to bring the STEM competition to the Rio Grande Valley.

Antonio Padilla, coach for the Brownsville Stillman Middle School racing team, said his students are excited and looking forward to the competition.

“They are working after school and weekends to build their car,” he said. “Participating in this event teaches our students valuable lessons in problem solving, creativity, statistics, and data-driven decision-making. This is a very important component in our STEM program at Stillman Middle School.”

In 2018, UTRGV hosted the inaugural electric car competition at the Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport. The university was the first to hold this competition in Texas.

SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, DAY 1

Teams will undergo scrutineering and show their marketing skills by competing in a presentation component of the competition.

In the afternoon, the teams will have time for practice runs.

SATURDAY, DAY 2

Activities begin at 10:30 a.m. with the parade of teams and an opening ceremony.

Middle school teams will race first, followed by high school and college teams.

Races will start and end at the Biomedical Sciences Building. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit www.utrgv.edu/greenpower.

Jim Tipton, president of Tipton Auto Group, a sponsor of the event, waves the flag to start the electric car competition race in 2018. UTRGV was the first to host this competition in Texas. (UTRGV Archive Photo by David Pike)

ABOUT UTRGV

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 as the first major public university of the 21st century in Texas. This transformative initiative provided the opportunity to expand educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley, including a new School of Medicine, and made it possible for residents of the region to benefit from the Permanent University Fund – a public endowment contributing support to the University of Texas System and other institutions.

UTRGV has campuses and off-campus research and teaching sites throughout the Rio Grande Valley including in Boca Chica Beach, Brownsville (formerly The University of Texas at Brownsville campus), Edinburg (formerly The University of Texas-Pan American campus), Harlingen, McAllen, Port Isabel, Rio Grande City, and South Padre Island. UTRGV, a comprehensive academic institution, enrolled its first class in the fall of 2015, and the School of Medicine welcomed its first class in the summer of 2016.