Amanda Guillen

The Baja SAE competition tasks engineering students with designing a dune buggy that can withstand harsh terrains.

UTEP will be hosting the Baja Society of Automotive Engineers 2014 competition from April 24-27. The last time UTEP hosted the competition was 16 years ago, in 1998.

The competition tasks engineering students with designing a dune buggy that can withstand harsh terrains.

Over 1,500 participants, 66 national teams and 34 international teams will be competing in the event.

“This is a perfect time for us… an important time for us to showcase where UTEP has come” said Dean of College of Engineering Richard Schoephoerster.

The event will last four days. Each day will include a regiment of trials that will test the durability of the cars. On the last day, the vehicles will undergo a four-hour race.

“Sunday you’ll see the cars running, you’ll see the cars breaking, slipping and sliding,” said Sergio Maldanado, senior mechanical engineering major and Baja SAE competitor.

The event gives students the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in class to a real world setting, and the opportunity to potentially get recruited by sponsors and judges.

“(Baja) shows what we’re doing in terms of developing real professional practices for our students,” Schoephoerster said.

Some of the companies that will be attending the event include Honda, Polaris, General Motors and Lockheed Martin.

“I have been competing in this since 2007…Every day has some exciting point,” Maldonado said.

Maria Esquinca may be reached at [email protected].