PHOTO: Philippine and Kazakhstan teams unite for sustainable mobility at Shell Eco-Marathon 2023.
More than a competition of eco-friendly cars, collaboration and innovation beyond borders was experienced by Filipino teams specializing in STEM (Science, Technology, Energy, and Mathematics) at the Shell Eco-marathon Asia and the Pacific 2023. Students from the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA (UPHSD) and Polytechnic University of the Philippines Manila (PUP) learned firsthand the importance of cooperation that goes beyond competition.
“Collaboration has always been a big topic in Shell Eco-marathon,” says Norman Koch, Global Manager of Shell Eco-marathon. “While the teams are competitors on the track, they help each other with the materials and tools, and give a hand to those they can help, making the spirit of Shell Eco-marathon alive in the paddocks.”
At the 2023 Shell Eco-marathon which took place in Lombok, Indonesia, students from the Philippines found a sense of community and purpose as they worked closely with other teams from different countries. The program provided valuable lessons on teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
“We always feel that this is not only a competition but a community as well,” says Nicole Rose Tugay, Team Manager of the PUP Hygears. “You will not be here just to compete and do things on your own. It’s a platform where you can learn from your teammates and even your competitors.”
Forging Cross-Cultural Collaboration, the Filipino and Kazakh Way
Philippines’ ALTAS Valor and Kazakhstan’s S.U. Racing Team banded together to fix the problem in the brake system of AVALON, UPHSD’s vehicle in order for the Philippine team to pass the Technical Inspection stage.
“We personally asked the team from Kazakhstan on how we can fix our brake system. They gave us the material that we need and even volunteered to help us. They became our saving grace in passing the Technical Inspection,” says Joebert Guzon, the adviser of ALTAS Valor.
“We did what a Kazakh would do. We are helpful people, so we know that helping all those teams is the right thing to do,” Yerbol Amantay, a team member of S.U. Racing Team, said. The Kazakh team also supported other teams from different countries and was also awarded the Spirit of Shell Eco-marathon.
“When joining Shell Eco-marathon, you will learn how to make energy-efficient vehicles. You will also find very interesting situations and interesting teams that will inspire you to make the vehicle of the future,” Alibek Ibraim, S.U. Racing Team’s Manager, said.
Aside from collaborating with the team from Kazakhstan, ALTAS Valor also received support from teams from Malaysia and Indonesia.
Inspiring Young Innovators for Sustainable Solutions
As the world faces growing challenges on sustainability, the Shell Eco-marathon continues to challenge young innovators to come together, learn from each other, and create a better future.
“The vision of Shell Eco-marathon is to provide the young engineers of the future with a platform to test their ingenuity, their creativity, their collaboration, and come up with more innovative solutions for a more sustainable low carbon mobility of the future,” Koch said.
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