Newsroom

PORTLAND, Ore. - A trio of fascinating and acclaimed cars built by Oregon State University engineering students will be on display at a special event in Portland, Tuesday, April 27, at the Union Bank Building, 407 SW Broadway, between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The invitation-only event, being hosted by Union Bank in conjunction with the OSU College of Engineering and the OSU Foundation, is not open to the public, but media are invited to see the vehicles, which have won national and international competitions, and meet the students who made them.

The Formula car, built by the OSU Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), swept a prestigious competition last summer in Austria against a field that included three of the top 10 teams in the world. OSU won the business presentation, autocross and endurance challenges, and placed first overall.

The Baja SAE car team won two major competitions last summer, too, beating competitors from more than 100 other domestic and international universities and earning de factor world champion status in the process.  The car has also been prominently included in OSU television advertising.

But it is the OSU Robotics Club Mars Rover that has drawn attention most recently. The small, futuristic vehicle is designed to deal with Mars' rough terrain and has other fascinating characteristics, as well: At recent university exhibitions, the vehicle has even climbed over spectators, who barely notice, due to its soft, balloon-like tires and ultra lightweight composition. Robotics Club vehicles have done well in national competition in recent years, including winning the 2008 University Rover Challenge at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah.

Parking is available both below the bank building and in metered street spaces around the building. For more information or directions, call Jennifer Garcia at 503.553.3400