A Penn State freshman from Spring Grove could have a hand in the future of environmentally friendly cars.
Matt Thompson, 19, a graduate of York Country Day School, joined the Penn State Vehicle Technology Team’s mechanical group and is involved in EcoCAR2: Plugging into the Future.
The three-year competition “challenges 15 universities across North America to reduce the environmental impact of a Chevrolet Malibu without compromising performance, safety and consumer acceptability,” according to its website.
Thompson, who is pursuing degrees in mechanical engineering and energy, business and finance, said in a news release that being on the team as a freshman is rewarding.
“I’m doing a lot of hands-on work that I don’t think I’d be able to do anywhere else, and the experience is perfect for blending together my two majors in engineering and energy,” he said.
His job is to ensure that his team’s vehicle architecture will properly fit into the Malibu, according to a news release. He’s working with a machine that allows engineers to guage how the engine they’ve selected will perform in certain circumstances, the release says.
Thompson hopes to one day work in finance in the renewable energy industry.
