News from the Lab & WEMPEC in Korea

 News from the Lab & WEMPEC in Korea

 

Farewell and Thank You, Kyle!

After more than seven years as Lab Manager and recently overall WEMPEC Operations Lead, Kyle Hanson is pursuing new challenges, joining industry in the private sector. Although he himself says he enjoys receiving appreciation for the small things he does most, Kyle has contributed to WEMPEC in BIG ways. From building up extensive electric machine prototyping capabilities, finding creative ways to improve machine prototype testing by repurposing a CNC mill, improving lab safety processes including compiling electrical safety training material now used by more than 250 students per year in the entire College of Engineering; through sharing tips on enjoying the local outdoors and navigating Madison by bike; to most recently streamlining the WEMPEC membership process, Kyle’s contributions have been many and impactful. The lab today would not be what it is without him.

We wish Kyle and his family the very best and always safe trails for their future, and hope to welcome him back to campus soon in his new role as a WEMPEC member!

Please continue to address any questions regarding active or prospective WEMPEC memberships to admin@wempec.wisc.edu, and any inquiries regarding the lab to Pia Strampp.

 

 

WEMPEC Korea Reunion

A very special reunion of WEMPEC alumni from Korea was held on May 29 in Jeonju, Korea, with Emeritus Prof. T.M. Jahns in attendance. The event was organized by Prof. Yongsug Suh (PhD’04) together with Prof. Jaesuk Lee (PhD’13) who are both faculty members at Jeonbuk National University in Jeonju. Seven WEMPEC graduates from Korea participated, together with new WEMPEC graduate student Hyungmin Baik who will be beginning his graduate studies in Madison this fall. In addition to Profs. Suh and Lee, the other WEMPEC alumni at the event included Prof. Shihong Park (PhD’04), Prof. Gilsu Choi (PhD’16), Dr. Hyunbae Kim (PhD’04), Jaehyuck Kim (MS’04), and Prof. Yegu Kang (PhD’19). A great dinner was accompanied by a sharing of wonderful memories and anecdotes from days together in WEMPEC spanning the past two decades.

L-R: Hyungmin Baik, Yongsug Suh, Jaesuk Lee, Peg Orcutt, T. Jahns, Gilsu Choi, Shihong Park, Yegu Kang, Hyungbae Kim

 

Student Competition Season is On

After the Spring semester wraps up, it is showtime for many of the student competition teams within the College of Engineering. Three teams WEMPEC regularly supports, through use of the lab’s fabrication and testing facilities and advice, are Wisconsin Racing, who race in the Formula SAE Electric competition on the Michigan International Speedway June 14-17; Badgerloop, who have pivoted to the American Solar Challenge in 2021 and are for the first time competing with their solar-powered car in the Formula Sun Grand Prix at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, KS from June 27 – July 2; and WiscWind, who reached the final stage of the Collegiate Wind Competition this May. In contrast to many other teams in the competition, their wind turbine uses a self-built generator – an axial-flux PM machine with a PCB stator (pictured on the right) designed in collaboration with Prof. Ludois.