A team of students from Missouri University of Science and Technology were among the top three finishers in two races of student-designed and student-built aerodynamically fitted recumbent bicycles.

The Human Powered Vehicle Team and its vehicle, “Colossus,” competed in HPVC West in Moffett Field, Calif. April 12-14, and HPVC East in Big Rapids, Mich., April 26-28. The team competed against universities from around the nation to design, build and operate a human-powered vehicle for practical urban use. Both events are part of the human-powered vehicle competition series.

The competitions were divided into three main events. The first component was an innovation event, where team members presented their vehicle to a panel of judges and explained how it was conceptualized and fabricated; the team also handed in a design report. The second component was a speed competition that demonstrated how fast the vehicle could go on an Olympic-style velodrome track. The team fielded both male and female riders for the events.

The final component of the event was the endurance race. Teams had to maneuver their vehicles in an urban setting through various road obstacles, such as hairpin turns, water hazards and speed bumps. The team earned points in each category, and points were totaled as part of the overall standings.

This year’s vehicle featured a carbon-fiber aerodynamic shell and electrically based landing gear, which made the craft capable of staying upright when stopped. The vehicle also featured adjustable-frame geometry that could accommodate riders of varying heights and capabilities and that made the vehicle potentially usable by a larger segment of the population.

Dr. Daniel Stutts, an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at S&T, is the Human Powered Vehicle Team faculty advisor. Dashiell Moore, a senior in engineering management from Rolla, Mo., is the team leader for 2013.

The following students are part of the 2013 Human Powered Vehicle Team:

• Eric Audiffred, a sophomore in mechanical engineering from Ballwin, Mo.
• Kevin Bruns, a sophomore in nuclear engineering from St. Louis
• Nikia Chapman, a sophomore in geological engineering from Columbia, Mo.
• Peter Freiberger, a senior in mechanical engineering from Florissant, Mo.
• Kyle Heinz, a sophomore in mechanical engineering from Troy, Mo.
• Hyung-Won Park, a junior in mechanical engineering from Ballwin, Mo.
• Garrison Keith, a junior in mechanical engineering from St. Joseph, Mo.
• Thomas Korenak, a sophomore in nuclear engineering from St. Louis
• Ryan Krattiger, a sophomore in aerospace engineering from McFarland, Wis.
• Dashiell Moore, a senior in engineering management from Rolla, Mo.
• Skyler Norval, a freshman in engineering from Battlefield, Mo.
• Johanna Pavlowsky, a senior in geological engineering from Nixa, Mo.
• Ian Rogers, a freshman in environmental engineering from Ozark, Mo.
• Benjamin Ryherd, a sophomore in mechanical engineering from Mahomet, Ill.
• Jonathan Sanders, a senior in aerospace engineering from Webb City, Mo.
• Chris Seto, a sophomore in computer engineering from Chesterfield, Mo.
• Chaitanya Tanna, a graduate student in electrical engineering from St. Louis
• Mitchell Thurman, a senior in aerospace engineering from Park Hills, Mo.
• Neal Windhorst, a senior in mechanical engineering from Kansas City, Mo.