In search of the longest mile

MANILA, Philippines - Manila hosts the super-mileage competition Shell Eco-Marathon Asia this week, from Feb. 6 to 9. In a specially designed and constructed urban circuit around the iconic Luneta Park, the most fuel efficient vehicles from over 140 student teams from all over Asia and the Middle East will compete, the first time the race will be held outside the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.

Representing the Philippines in the quest for smarter mobility are 17 student teams from the country’s top engineering universities: Adamson University, De La Salle University, Don Bosco Technical Institute, Mapua Institute of Technology, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Technological Institute of the Philippines-Manila, Technological Institute of the Philippines-Quezon City, University of San Carlos and University of Sto. Tomas. Guiding these engineering students as “godparents” are Shell executives from the said schools.

SEM godparents are involved in making sure that their team’s vehicle complies with the standards of the competition. They are also tasked to check up on the team’s preparations and help them understand the systems and standards of Shell.

Lyndon Lumain, project manager for Shell Eco-Marathon 2014, is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering from the University of San Carlos, Cebu. He has been the team’s godfather since 2012.

“I feel very honored to have been selected as godfather for USC,” says Lumain. “It’s a good way to give back to my school and to help the students prepare for the competition. I try to help them understand why Shell is holding a smarter mobility competition, why there are rules and regulations, and, of course, help them secure sponsorships for financial assistance for the project.”

For Valarie Ku, Shell LNG Business Development Manager and current UST team godparent, the team’s SEM journey was something that she needed to be involved in. A Chemical Engineering graduate, Ku is the only female godparent among the Philippine teams. Her involvement began when she was chosen to guide the team in 2012.

“I’m proud to be a graduate of UST, so if there’s any opportunity to represent the school, I would really want to be a part of that. I was actually worried that I didn’t really know much about cars. But what I realized by joining is that the students don’t just need technical knowledge. That technical know-how is already given by the school, since they are Mechanical Engineering students,” she said. “Not everything in this world is technical, because just as important is passion. How you move people in one direction is just as important, and I think that’s the value I add to the team.”

For Ku, a godparent’s other job is to provide motivation to the students and remind them that their participation is not just about representing their school, but their country as well. Being a godparent is also a chance to take a look at the team’s strategy and, at the same time, prepare them for the challenges of the real world outside of school. Both Lumain and Ku believe that their teams each have their own advantage in the competition. For Lumain, USC’s experience in the 2012 SEM provided a lot of valuable learnings that they have used in preparation for 2014.

“2012 was a good and challenging experience for the team,” he says. “Good because they were able to participate in the competition and showcase their energy-efficient cars, but difficult because they were unable to finish the race. We learned a lot from that year. Building on these lessons, we now have this team and this car for 2014. I think the students are more than prepared to redeem themselves from that performance.”

Being an SEM godparent entails some sacrifice. For Ku, the biggest sacrifice is her time.

“If you really want to be a godparent, you have to spend time with the students – visit them, find out about their progress. This is all on top of having a day job and a family,” she says. “I personally think it’s a great help if someone is focused on the team. It motivates students to deliver. I used to visit them once every two months, but with the competition drawing closer, I plan to visit them every two weeks.”

With the future of energy and sustainable mobility as the main thrust of the competition, everyone involved – students, godparents and the public – stand to benefit from the Shell Eco-marathon.

“By working with the UST team, I learned that students their age are very concerned about the future, not just of the team but of the world as well,” says Ku. “We want the world to have a greener environment, and I can see that they share that mindset, which is evident in their passing on their knowledge on energy efficiency and sustainable mobility to the succeeding teams.”

“I believe that the eco-marathon is a very good learning experience for everyone, but most especially the students. It’s a good time to learn from each other, work with each other and establish relationships,” adds Lumain.

The Shell Eco-marathon began in 1939 at a Shell research laboratory in the US as a friendly wager between scientists to see who could get the most miles per gallon from their vehicle. The winner of that contest barely achieved 50 mpg (21 km/liter), and from these humble origins, a more organized competition evolved.

In 1985 in France, Shell Eco-Marathon as we know it today was born. In April 2007, the Shell Eco-Marathon Americas was launched in the United States. In 2010, the inaugural Shell Eco-Marathon Asia was held in Malaysia, which hosted the event until 2013. Manila will continue to host the event until 2016.