| FuelCellStocks.Com Fuel Cell News July 18, 2005 FCV Entered in 1,600 mile solar challenge It will be last off the starting line today, but it's still No. 1 in the hearts of many back home. UND's hydrogen fuel cell car, SubZero3, will begin its 1,600-mile trek today from Austin, Texas, to Calgary, Alta., in the 2005 North American Solar Challenge. The race is designed for solar cars. Since UND's runs on a hydrogen fuel cell, it's been allowed to run in the contest as a "demonstration" and will be last in the running order. Each car will leave Austin today in one-minute intervals based on a qualifying order set at a prior race in Kansas City. The UND students from the Society for Energy Alternatives, representing varying degree programs, used to build and race solar cars, but recently they switched to hydrogen fuel cell technology, an alternative energy they felt was more challenging and held more promise for the future of transportation. This year's solar challenge route will take the cars through Dallas; Topeka, Kan.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; then Fargo and Grand Forks on its way to the finish line in Calgary. Scott Tolbert, the UND's team advisor, estimates the teams should be passing through Grand Forks by Friday. UND prof scores grant to study poet The National Endowment for the Humanities last week announced 43 new research grants to universities and scholarly organizations, including one for a UND professor. Sandra Donaldson, with UND's English Department, has been awarded $130,000 by the NEH to create a five-volume scholarly edition of poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning's work. The collection will be called, "The Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning." Her award was one of only 21 from the NEH for scholarly editions. UMC increasing distance learners Online, or distance learning, enrollment at the University of Minnesota-Crookston has grown more than 60 percent in the past four years, says Michelle Christopherson, UMC's Center for Adult Learning director. UMC has also grown from offering just a handful of online courses each semester to offering nearly 35 courses and the first online bachelor's degree in the University of Minnesota system. The school has seen a large number of non-traditional students taking advantage of the flexibility and convenience of online learning. "Nearly 70 percent of our online learners are women," Christopherson said, "and many of them are returning to school to finish a degree after taking a break from their education to have a family and start their careers." Student ages range from 16 to 65, with most of them 35 to 45 years old. Most continue to hold jobs while they attend school and also have families with all the responsibilities of parenting included. Leadership camp wraps up UMC played host to more than 120 high school juniors and seniors and about 40 staff members from Minnesota, North Dakota, western Ontario and northwestern Wisconsin last week in the Rotary Youth Leadership Award. Attendees, who are sponsored by the clubs of Rotary District 5580, spend the week working on teambuilding and leadership skills. Camp RYLA provides student leaders and potential leaders an opportunity to expand and develop their skills. It's an international program that was created by the Rotary International as a way to encourage strong youth leadership. RYLA for Rotary District 5580 began in 1992 with 27 participants, and it has been held at UMC since it began. Don Cavalier, UMC's Counseling and Career Services office, is the Camp RYLA chairperson.
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