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Register Now Before It's Too Late!
Don't Miss the 2015 CAAT Conference!
More than 120 people have already registered to attend the FREE 2015 CAAT Conference: Future Cars, Future Workers. Seating is limited and we are filling up quickly so register soon if you are planning to attend.
Visit the CAAT Conference website for additional conference information.
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Only a Few Days Left to Register for the Michigan Robotics Industry Executive Forum! The 2015 Michigan Robotics Industry Executive Forum: Michigan Strengths and Weaknesses for Global Competition in Robotics will be held on April 7 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at Macomb Community College's John Lewis Community Center at its South Campus in Warren, MI. The event is made possible through a partnership between the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS), Macomb County Department of Planning & Economic Development, and Center for Advanced Automotive Technology at Macomb Community College. Approximately 100 people are expected to attend.
Join us to learn about opportunities for Michigan to become a global leader in advanced robotics. The event will feature panel discussions, special guest speakers, and demonstrations of robotics and autonomous vehicle technology. The cost to attend is $25. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
Click these links to see the event agenda and to register.
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CAAT Partners with National Institute for Women in Trades, Technology and Science (IWITTS) to Promote FREE Telesummit on STEM Success for Women
The CAAT has joined IWITTS and several other NSF ATE Center partners to promote the FREE STEM event, Success for Women Telesummit, which carries the theme Empowering Educators to Recruit and Retain More Women in STEM. The event will be held April 13-16, 2015. In this virtual telesummit funded by the National Science Foundation, some of the country's leading experts will share best practices for increasing the number of female students in STEM career pathways.
Deans, administrators, instructors, and counselors will leave this virtual conference with immediate action steps to jump-start their recruitment efforts and help their female students succeed. Focusing exclusively on solutions backed by hard data and demonstrated outcomes, this is a can't-miss event for educators - particularly at the community college level - who are serious about achieving balance in their STEM programs and securing high retention rates for their female AND male students.
Chandra Brown, deputy assistant secretary for manufacturing, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, will join 10 other top experts and practitioners to discuss recruiting and retaining women in STEM education. Other ATE Centers partnering to promote the event include Mentor Connect, SpaceTEC, TeachingTechnicians.org, Weld-Ed, and EvaluATE. For more information about this free event and to register, please visit the event web page.
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CAAT and WSU Sponsor University Bound Program for Community College Students
University Bound is a summer program co-sponsored by the Center for Advanced Automotive Technology, Wayne State University, Macomb Community College, and the National Science Foundation. The program is targeted at community college students considering transferring to Wayne State University or other baccalaureate granting institutions and is an opportunity for students to get acquainted with campus life, gain greater insight into their desired majors, and learn about the cultural and recreational opportunities available at Wayne State University. Students will attend two days of workshops geared at improving their college experience and supporting their goal of graduating with a bachelor's degree. Linking the two days of workshops is an overnight stay in one of Wayne State's dormitories.
The workshops are designed to:
- Increase academic skills
- Experience campus life at an urban research university
- Expand confidence, affirm positive attitudes, and enhance interpersonal skills
- Explore college/university services
University Bound 2015 will be held on Monday and Tuesday, May 18-19 at Wayne State University. Please visit the Student Activities page on the CAAT website for registration and other program information.
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Teachers and Parents, Register Your Students Today! Attend the Automotive Design and Engineering Career Expo!
This spring, the CAAT will co-sponsor the Automotive Design and Engineering Career Expo for local middle and high school students at Macomb Community College's South Campus Expo Center in Warren, MI. Students attending the event will be able to interact with leading designers, engineers, and state of the art technology, which will hopefully inspire them to consider rewarding careers in vehicle design and/or engineering.
The event will be held May 20-21, 9-11 a.m., and again 12-2 p.m., each day for invited schools. The event is being co-sponsored by three Detroit area automotive manufacturers:
- Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will present a module on sketching.
- Ford Motor Company will conduct a module on production design.
- General Motors Company will offer a module on clay/digital modeling.
- A fourth module will feature an exciting car show (presented jointly by the three participating OEMs) that will allow students to sit behind the wheel and even talk to real automotive designers and engineers.
Students will rotate through each of the four modules during their time at the expo. A special evening session will be held for students and their parents on Thursday, May 21, 6-8 p.m.
Both the day and evening portions of the event require advance registration and seating is limited, so please register soon!
Schools may apply for school bus transfer expense reimbursement.
Photo releases are required for all attendees.
Visit the Career Expo area of the CAAT website for more information and to register.
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CAAT to Sponsor Hybrid Electric Vehicles Career Academy
For several years now, the CAAT has sponsored an annual Hybrid Electric Vehicle Career Academy for high school students. Career academies are short-term learning experiences for high school students that provide a clear understanding of what a specific career field is like. They are designed to be hands-on, interactive, and fun learning experiences. This year's Hybrid Electric Vehicles Career Academy will be held June 22-25 in the automotive building (M Buidling) at Macomb Community College's South Campus in Warren, MI.
This academy is a perfect hands-on learning experience for students interested in cars and electronics! This interactive workshop explains the principles of battery/electric and other alternative fuel vehicles. Other topics include reasons to use electric vehicles, EV safety, battery technologies, and motor types. Each student will build a battery, DC motor kit, and fuel cell vehicle.
Seats are limited and classes do fill up quickly! For further information, please visit the Student Activities page on the CAAT website.
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Recently Held CAAT Activities
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CAAT Director Discusses Automotive Technology at the 101 People, Places and Things that Made Michigan Event
On March 18, CAAT Director, Bob Feldmaier, made a presentation at the on-going series 101 People, Places, and Things That Made Michigan taking place at the Macomb Community College Cultural Center from February 28 through May 9. The presentation focused on advanced automotive technology and was attended by 100 people from the community. More specifically, the presentation highlighted what is happening in automotive technology developments that affect vehicle safety and fuel economy. It covered vehicle propulsion including electrification, lightweighting, and automated/connected vehicles. To download the presentation, visit the Public Events page of the CAAT website. |
Cohort Participates in Electric Vehicle Employer-Student Networking Event
Above: Lee Fountain from the GM Powertrain Test Lab interviews EV Cohort 3 student Brandon Mills
Macomb Community College Career Services hosted an electric vehicle employer-student networking event entitled "Career Opportunities in Electric Vehicles" on March 17, 2015. The event was attended by 29 students and 6 employers, including representatives from Kforce, General Motors, Reliance One, Energy Power Systems, Jacobs Technology, and LG Chem. Excellent information was shared by all of the employers to help our students in their job search. Afterward, students had the opportunity to interact one-on-one with the employer representatives to learn more about the companies and discuss possible summer internships. According to Bob Penkala, director of Career Services, "It was a great day for our EV Students Cohort 3 plus others. The sun was shining, the luck of the Irish was with each and every one of them and opportunities for students to connect with employers were plentiful. This was our third event since the beginning of the program designed to introduce our soon to be graduates to potential employers. As always it was a great success." |
| CAAT Director Attends Automotive Megatrends USA Conference
 CAAT Director, Bob Feldmaier, attended the Automotive Megatrends USA event, which was held on March 17 in Dearborn, MI. Megatrends is a unique event that brings together the key players of the car industry of today with the innovators and game-changers of the lightweight, efficient, connected automotive world of tomorrow. The event featured more than 50 expert speakers, 500+ delegates, and cutting-edge topics, including powertrain innovation, vehicle connectivity, and lightweighting, all of which are included among the CAAT's primary areas of focus.
Attendees of this popular industry event were provided the answers to intriguing questions such as:
- What will be the key breakthroughs in light vehicle powertrain technology that will lead to greater fuel economy and emissions reduction?
- Which technologies and trends will have the most impact on the evolution of the connected car in North America over the next ten years and beyond?
- With tougher CAFE standards just around the corner, automotive lightweighting has never been so important - or so innovative. But what is the best and most efficient way to reduce vehicle weight in mainstream light vehicles?
This information will assist the CAAT in assessing the skills that will be required of technicians working on vehicles with these advanced technologies and to develop curriculum in line with industry direction. The event is offered by Automotive Megatrends, the events division of Automotive World, the leading provider of premium automotive industry information. Automotive Megatrends aims to connect and inform the stakeholders who are shaping the global automotive industry of tomorrow. |
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What's New in the CAAT Resource Library?
In February, two resources were added to our Resource Library. Listed below are the two resources we added:
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| Did You Know?
Did you know Detroit, MI, ranks among the top 10 most EV friendly regions in the country? Click here to see what other areas are ranked in ChargePoint's list of friendly EV regions.
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Did you know Japan has more EV charging points than gas stations? According to a report by Nissan, Japan is home to 40,000 charging points and 34,000 gas stations. Click here to learn more about this study.
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| Did you know the global revenue generated from EV charging services is expected to grow from $81.1 million annually in 2014 to $2.9 billion by 2023? That's over a 3000% increase! To learn more about this projection made by Navigant Research in their new report, Electric Vehicle Charging Services, visit their website. |
Did you know Cadillac's new CT6 will utilize 13 different materials to save over 198 pounds, enhance driving dynamics, and increase fuel economy (SOURCE)? The CT6's state of the art body is one of Cadillac's "most-advanced body systems ever produced" and utilizes advanced joining techniques to connect a variety of materials such as high-strength steels and aluminum. Some of these joining techniques include various welding techniques, flow drill screws, self-piercing rivets, and structural adhesives. 21 patents are now pending as a result of the joining processes developed to build the car. To learn more about lightweight materials for vehicles, visit our Materials Lightweighting page or the link above. 
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EV Myth Busters
Myth: Batteries in electric vehicles don't last. Facts: According to the American Chemistry Society, a battery pack can last for five to 20 years (depending mainly on regional temperature, among other factors). A typical warranty on an EV battery is eight years / 100k miles. (Source: Cobb, Jeff. How Long Will an Electric Car's Battery Last? Hybrid Cars. April 2014.)(Source: Understanding the Life of Lithium Ion batteries in Electric Vehicles. American Chemistry Society. April 2013.) Sourced from NRG Energy  Above: Chevy Spark EV Battery |
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