University of Waterloo Formula Motorsports (UWFM) 

The Experience

Spending long nights and early mornings designing, developing, manufacturing, testing, and competing with the University of Waterloo Formula Motorsports (UWFM) FSAE race car was an unforgettable and invaluable experience. The time I dedicated—over 3,500 hours across two seasons, including a four-month internship—helped shape my skills, ignite my passion for motorsport, and fuel my drive for innovation in a constantly evolving industry.

Working alongside some of the most brilliant engineering minds at the University of Waterloo, I gained extensive hands-on experience not just from my teammates at UWFM, but also from collaborating with Waterloo Formula Electric (WFE), Waterloo Rocketry, and WaterLoop. UWFM and WFE have since merged to form the University of Waterloo Formula Electric (UWFE). Learning from feedback, critiques, and testing insights across these teams allowed me to continuously refine designs and manufacturing techniques, improving both my technical skills and ability to integrate systems effectively.

Commitment to Excellence

Throughout my time with the team, my dedication did not go unnoticed. Despite being on the team for less than two years, teammates often remarked that my contributions gave the impression of a five-year tenure. I took every opportunity to help, learn, critique, and improve wherever possible. Even while working on my capstone project in the machine shop, I was simultaneously leading the manufacturing control arms for the team.

While my primary focus was suspension and vehicle dynamics, I didn't limit myself to just one system. I contributed to chassis, powertrain, aerodynamics, and electrical systems—gaining a holistic understanding of race car engineering. From tire patch loading and suspension tuning to engine dyno testing, intake design, nose cone manufacturing, and chassis stiffness testing, I was deeply involved in ensuring every component was optimized. In motorsport, the smallest details can mean the difference between winning and losing, and I made it my mission to perfect every aspect.

My broad knowledge across systems made me a valuable resource for system integration. Within the first few months, I was able to understand and comfortable with explaining about 75% of the car's manufacturing and design. This allowed me to bridge gaps between subsystems, better assist in other systems' manufacturing, and direct questions to the right people when others were unavailable.

Competition & Testing Experience

In 2022, my first competition season with UWFM, we traveled to Michigan for an unforgettable experience. Despite the inevitable unexpected challenges, we came together as a team, adapted quickly, and—with support from a few other teams—managed to get everything competition-ready. We placed 13th overall and 1st among Canadian teams, an achievement that highlighted our resilience and technical capabilities.

Later that summer, while completing my internship with the team, we attended the Pittsburgh Shootout—a more relaxed event focused on setting fast lap times. This event provided an excellent opportunity to closely interact with other teams, study their designs, and learn from their approaches. The camaraderie and exchange of ideas made it an invaluable experience for refining our engineering mindset.

Carbon Fiber Push-Rod Research & Development

During my internship, I took on an independent research project exploring the feasibility of carbon fiber suspension push-rods. While many teams had successfully implemented carbon fiber wishbones or pull-rods, push-rods presented unique challenges due to their compressive loading. My research involved:

• Investigating existing FSAE designs and limitations of carbon fiber in compression.

• Reviewing the "FSAE Carbon Fiber Suspension Bible," a capstone research paper from MIT, which provided key insights into aluminum plug bonding techniques.

• Sourcing and testing carbon fiber tube samples, with various layups, for compressive strength.

Unfortunately, my findings indicated that carbon fiber push-rods would require significantly larger diameters to prevent buckling, negatively impacting aerodynamics and packaging. Given our already lightweight chassis and optimized suspension system, the trade-offs were not justified, and the project was ultimately shelved. However, my research later proved valuable when the aerodynamics team needed lightweight pull-rods, and my findings were added to the team’s research archives for future reference.

Technical Growth & Impact

Beyond expanding my technical knowledge, my time with UWFM accelerated my expertise in CAD design, FEA analysis, precision manufacturing, and system integration. Working hands-on with the car in design, testing, and competition provided a level of engineering experience that goes beyond the classroom. The challenges, problem-solving, and teamwork reinforced my dedication to motorsports engineering, shaping me into the engineer I am today.