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NEWS RELEASE

05-16-02

Contacts:
Mike Allen, Team PrISUm, (630) 926-8142
Eric Christensen, Team PrISUm, (612) 202-9336
Skip Derra, News Service, (515) 294-4917

IOWA STATE'S SOLAR CAR TEAM HITS THE ROAD TO RAISE ENERGY AWARENESS

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State University's solar car team will travel across Iowa May 20-24 in an effort to raise awareness of energy issues and alternative energy sources during Sunrun 2002.

The team's travels will include a visit by Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources at 9:30 a.m., Monday, May 20. Pederson will inspect the car and sign a declaration that May be "energy awareness" month in Iowa.

After their stop at the Iowa DNR, the team will hit the road making stops at many Iowa towns and cities.

Sunrun 2002 includes stops in Des Moines, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Falls, Muscatine, Webster City and Vinton. (An itinerary and a list of the students, with hometowns, taking part in Sunrun 2002 are below).

Mike Allen of Team PrISUm said 11 team members will be present at each location to answer questions about the solar car project. The solar car team will bring PrISUm Odyssey on Sunrun 2002. PrISUm Odyssey finished 16th in last year's American Solar Challenge.

"Our goal is to show people that solar energy is a realistic solution for the world's growing energy demands," said Eric Christensen, the student director of Team PrISUm.

Team PrISUm members are currently designing Iowa State's seventh solar car. Construction of that car, called PrISUm Spectrum, will begin this summer. They will race the car in the American Solar Challenge, a race from Chicago to Los Angeles in July 2003.

Iowa State students participants in Sunrun 2002
Mike Allen, Bloomingdale, Ill.
Brian Christensen, Edina, Minn.
Eric Christensen, Edina, Minn.
Ryan Emerson, Creston, Iowa
Ross Fischer, West Des Moines, Iowa
Ryan Haase, Lincoln, Neb.
Nathan Nelson, Muscatine, Iowa
Ben Niedergeses, Muscatine, Iowa
Jeff Sibert, Red Wing, Minn.
Jake Strait, Perry, Iowa
Andrew Thomas, Davenport, Iowa

Sunrun 2002 itinerary
May 20
Des Moines
9:30 a.m., presentation at Iowa DNR, 502 East 9th St. including a visit by Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson
Norwalk
1 p.m., presentation at MAC school, 906 School Ave.
Des Moines
4 p.m., presentation at Merle Hay Mall, 3850 Merle Hay Road

May 21
Davenport
1 p.m., presentation at Central High School
4 p.m., presentation at North Park Mall, 320 West Kimberly Road

May 22
Muscatine
8 a.m., presentation at Muscatine High School
Cedar Rapids
1 p.m., presentation at Johnson Elementary School
4 p.m., presentation at the Science Station

May 23
Cedar Rapids
9 a.m., presentation at Jefferson High School, Cedar Rapids
Vinton
1 p.m., presentation at Washington High School, Vinton
Cedar Falls
4 p.m., presentation at College Square Mall, Cedar Falls

May 24
Webster City
9 a.m., presentation at Webster City School, Webster City

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Editors: Reporters are welcome to come to any of the events, to talk with the Iowa State solar car students and to see PrISUm Odyssey. Arrival times at specific places are approximate.