AISI Marks Two Decades of Teaching Student Designers About Steel

AISI members and staff, as well as faculty and students from the College for Creative Studies (CCS), will mark a special anniversary at the kickoff ceremony of their collaborative Student Internship Program on May 28, 2008. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the AISI/CCS program, and the color of choice is green.

The three transportation design students from this year's program are being challenged to conceptualize, render and create a concept vehicle with a foundation that is built upon a cleaner conscience and eco-friendly design.

They'll spend three months on tasks such as:

• Researching new design concepts that appeal to the target market and market segment, societal marketing objectives, competition and economic influences as related to the theme of "Green Steel";
  
  
• Meeting with AISI steel members to broaden their knowledge of the design capabilities of advanced high-strength steels;
  
  
• Developing an understanding of the issues that automakers face when choosing materials, such as fuel economy, crash safety issues, recyclability, manufacturability and cost; and
  
  
• Designing a steel-intensive vehicle that projects the theme of "Green Steel." The concept vehicle must turn consumers' heads for their styling, power and commitment to helping the environment.

In September, the models will be unveiled to senior automotive and steel company executives, as well as national automotive media.

This program benefits: students, who get real-world experience and introductions to potential future employers; the steel industry, which trains young designers and engineers on the benefits of advanced high-strength steel technologies; and the automotive industry, which gains fresh talent and the design for a possible future car. For more information, contact Deanna Lorincz.