SARSEF Gains New Solar Go-Kart Program
Tech Parks Arizona developed Racing the Sun, a hands-on STEM program for high school students, eight years ago to promote workforce development. After incubating the program and establishing good momentum, Racing the Sun is transitioning over to SARSEF-Southern Arizona Research, Science, 
and Engineering Foundation in order to grow the program and best serve the region. Racing the Sun is a solar go-kart competition that challenges high school students to design, build, test, and ultimately race their solar-powered go-karts. The students are given opportunities to use engineering and science concepts to develop their karts throughout the course of the school year for nine solid months.
Racing the Sun is a perfect fit for SARSEF, an organization that strives to teach every young person in the region the importance and the reasoning behind science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts. The foundation focuses on giving students the resources to become an effective employee by teaching them how to solve real-world problems and think critically. SARSEF centers their attention and effort on underrepresented student populations, like minorities and females as well as schools located in rural settings that tend to be underserved.
“Racing the Sun is more than just a solar-powered go-kart race. Students are engaged in several facets, not only learning technical concepts by applying knowledge but through building, testing and evaluating their prototype. Equally important, students learn directly from industry and university mentors. This unique connection helps students pioneer a path to several career options. We saw first-hand how engaged students are through the process and jumped at the opportunity to amplify the reach of the program,” stated, Liz Bowman, Deputy Director, SARSEF.
Racing the Sun perfectly aligns with SARSEF and can expand greatly with their far-reaching network. Members of SARSEF travel to 136 schools throughout Arizona to provide free education programs to students, professional development for teachers, and parent-student workshops, with the goal of engaging kids in a high-quality science and engineering research experience.
SARSEF is the perfect catalyst to grow the program using their influence on these 136 schools and the Southern Arizona community targeting a larger student base. SARSEF’s partnerships with other STEM organizations like TEP, The STEMAZing Project, and Women in Science & Engineering will also guarantee an exceptional support system for the student participants in the program.
Carol Stewart, Associate Vice President of Tech Parks Arizona, added, “In today’s knowledge-based economy, this type of program is instrumental in preparing students for the workforce. SARSEF is the ideal organization to move Racing the Sun from incubation stage and scaling it up to magnify its ability to build Arizona’s future leaders.”
Tech Parks Arizona directs the UA Tech Park, the UA Tech Park at The Bridges and the University of Arizona Center for Innovation, placing the highest priority on recruiting companies desiring connectivity to the University of Arizona.
