Tempest My first Baja SAE car

Tempest was the first Baja SAE car I contributed to at Iowa State. I became heavily involved during my freshman year, learning through hands-on work with the team. Manufacturing was a major part of that experience: working on real components helped me connect engineering ideas with the practical work of building a vehicle.

My first year: learning by doing

Getting involved

As a new team member, I immersed myself in the build. Tempest gave me a place to ask questions, work alongside more experienced teammates, and develop my skills through direct involvement.

Learning in manufacturing

Much of my growth came from experience in the shop. I began to understand how manufacturing considerations affect a part and how the work of making components connects to the complete car.

From component to vehicle

Working on individual parts and seeing them become part of Tempest helped me understand how my contributions fit into a larger engineering project.

A foundation to build on

My freshman year was a steep learning curve. The hands-on manufacturing experience I gained with Tempest became a foundation for my continued involvement in Baja SAE.