BLACKSBURG, Va., Jun 15, 2009 --The National Science Foundation Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award was presented to Doug Nelson on June 10, 2009 at the EcoCAR Challenge in Toronto, Canda, where his HEVT team placed 6th overall out of 17 schools.

The EcoCAR Challenge is a three-year collegiate advanced vehicle technology engineering competition established by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and General Motors (GM), and is being managed by Argonne National Laboratory. The competition challenges 17 universities across North America to reduce the environmental impact of vehicles by minimizing the vehicle’s fuel consumption and reducing its emissions while retaining the vehicle’s performance, safety and consumer appeal. For more information about the challenge visit, http://www.ecocarchallenge.org/.

HEVT team placed 6th overall out of 17 schools. For more information about the team visit, http://www.me.vt.edu/hevt/.

On June 10, 2009 at the EcoCAR Challenge, Nelson recieved the NSF Outstanding Long-Term Faculty Advisor Award award for best promoting the goals,objectives, and activities related to EcoCAR among the universities who participated. Awards are given based on successful incorporation of the EcoCAR goals, objectives, and activities into the undergraduate engineering curriculum in the areas of mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, industrial, and other related engineering disciplines. Of special importance are the benefits students receive as a result of the EcoCAR program. Judges determine from the applications submitted, the faculty advisor who has created the best automotive engineering and engineering design experience for his/her students, and who has best used EcoCAR to enrich the university engineering program.

Nelson has received the NSF Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award on three seperate occasion as follows: EcoCar; June 10, 2009 ($10,000 grant); Challenge X, June 9, 2005 ($15,000 grant); FutureCar,1998($20,000).

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