Fresh off a celebrated return to the Chicago Auto Show earlier this year, Huskie Motorsports is again attracting attention.
In mid-September, team members spent a week at Chicago’s McCormick Place as part of the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), the largest manufacturing technology trade show in the Western Hemisphere.
Through the support of team sponsor Mitutoyo America Corporation, Huskie MotorsportsC students displayed their Formula-style racecar in the Student Summit area, interacted with thousands of attendees and industry professionals, and brought their classroom learning to life.
The experience underscored the program’s steady growth and reputation for excellence, while positioning team members alongside some of the most innovative manufacturers, technology companies and engineering leaders from around the world. Over the course of the six-day event attended by over 90,000, about 20 Huskie engineering students staffed the booth.
Dave Grewell, dean of the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET) said experiences like IMTS reflect the broader mission of CEET’s student project teams.
“These events provide students with opportunities to apply technical knowledge, collaborate on ambitious challenges, develop leadership skills and build relationships with employers,” Grewell said. “We really appreciate the partnership we have with Mitutoyo America.”
The IMTS Student Summit is designed to introduce K-12 students and educators to cutting-edge manufacturing technologies and engineering careers. Being featured within that environment underscores the team’s reputation as a highly motivated group of students who are not only designing and building a competitive vehicle but also serving as ambassadors for engineering education.
Throughout the week, team members’ role extended well beyond displaying a racecar, as they answered questions from prospective students, educators, manufacturers and fellow engineering enthusiasts. They explained design decisions, manufacturing processes, testing methodologies and the teamwork required to bring a complex engineering project to life.
Huskie Motorsports helped illustrate engineering concepts that can be difficult for some people to envision, noted Mitutoyo America Education Manager Jeff Meyerholz.
“These young men and women showed how our products and services relate to the real world,” Meyerholz said. “For those considering engineering as a career, this was a great opportunity to demonstrate math and science being applied, metrology being applied. This is something real-world tangible that they can put their hands on, that they can look at, and it’s no longer this abstract idea that’s over there.”
For team members, the experience reinforced how participation in Huskie Motorsports creates opportunities that extend far beyond campus.
Junior mechanical engineering major Kayla Mata, who spent three days at IMTS, knows that firsthand. Through her involvement with the team, she developed practical skills that helped her secure two summer internships with Hendrickson, a leading global manufacturer serving the commercial vehicle industry.
“My experience with Huskie Motorsports has activated my engineering training,” Mata said. “It helped to apply what I’m learning in the classroom and actually apply it in real-world scenarios. It enabled me to learn CAD (computer-aided design), how to design for manufacturing and really get my hands dirty.”
As noted last year in a feature story in The Tube and Pipe Journal, “In addition to every facet of the car, from the suspension to the wheels to the powertrain, the 35 or so members of the Huskie Motorsports team are responsible for soliciting donations, procuring material, finding sponsors—everything necessary to put a running vehicle on the track by the end of the school year.”
For Huskie Motorsports President Abid Alnafoosi being able to tell that story to a wide range of people at IMTS, from younger students to CEOs and other business leaders, was gratifying.
“It was one of the greatest opportunities ever for the club,” Alnafoosi said. “We really enjoyed showcasing our car in front of these employers, future sponsors and future students as well. This is a massive industry showcase.”
To learn more about the team, visit the Huskie Motorsports website. For more information about all of the NIU engineering groups, visit the CEET Student Organizations page.
