Mechanical engineering graduate Robyn Murray says she joined the FSAE race team because she didn't know anything about cars. Now, she's the project manager and is preparing to take the team to competitions in the U.S. and Germany.
(Edmonton) When Robyn Murray, a graduating mechanical engineering student, tells the story of her five-year journey to the convocation stage, there's a point in her tale where you can see a little extra spark in her eye, a part where you know she's remembering something special-which is unsurprising since that something involves building a race car.
Ever since she was 11 years old, Murray knew she wanted to be an engineer.
Her dad was an engineer and the more she learned about engineering the more interested she became. That interest led her to the mechanical engineering program at the University of Alberta.
"In high school, I thought I wanted to go into chemical engineering," she said. "But after first year and my ENG 100 lectures it was a toss-up between mechanical and electrical engineering-I'm very happy with the choice I made."
Once settled into the mechanical engineering co-op program, Murray's attention was fixed on the University of Alberta's Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE) team.
For 20 years, the FSAE team has been bringing together students to design and build small Formula-style race cars. The team competes annually in Lincoln, Nebraska and this year, is returning to Hockenheim, Germany for the FS Germany competition, which they haven't attended since 2013.
When she joined the team, Murray knew nothing about engines or how they worked but viewed participating on the team as an opportunity to learn. What followed was a very steep learning curve and hours and hours of hard work. But the knowledge, skills, and experiences that came with it made the effort well worth her while.
Murray spent her first year on the team as a general member, followed by two years doing power train design. She discovered a passion for getting her hands dirty in the shop and found satisfaction in having her work lead to something tangible.
"There's a big difference between building a model and building something real," she said. "I love having a real-life, finished product at the end."
Now, Murray is the FSAE project manager and plays a crucial role in making sure the group's design, fabrication, and business teams all work together. This is important because students must produce a car that demonstrates more than just speed. Their car has to meet strict standards like mechanical capabilities (e.g. accelerating, braking, handling), and features that increase its marketability, such as aesthetics and comfort. Teams are also judged on their budget management and the economic feasibility of their cars.
Murray says the competitions are grueling, but nonetheless a great experience. Nearly 80 teams spend four days on airstrips turned into race tracks, often scrambling to make last-minute fixes so their vehicles pass technical inspections.
"Ideally you're prepared for inspections," said Murray, "but it doesn't always work that way."
Balancing her time between school, co-op work placements, and the FSAE team was a challenge for Murray. She admits that FSAE could be a full-time job if you put as much time into it as you want to.
But the tell-tale spark in her eye when she talks about it makes it obvious she has no regrets.
With her co-op work now complete, Murray is looking forward to taking the summer off so she can focus more intensely on FSAE before heading to Lincoln, and then to Germany in August. She is excited to see her team's hard work put into action and to spend time touring Europe.
This will be Murray's final year competing with the team, with her and some of the other more senior team members passing the steering wheel over to their more junior members.