West Virginia University graduate Bill Cawthorne is quick to credit his experiences in student competitions with helping pave the way for his 15-year career at General Motors. Now he’s helping to create the next generation of automotive engineers by serving as a mentor to WVU’s EcoCAR3 team.

When Cawthorne found out WVU was selected as one of 16 teams to compete in EcoCAR3, an advanced vehicle technology competition sponsored by his employer, he jumped at the chance to become the team’s mentor.

“Participating in student competitions was very beneficial to my career so the chance to give back to a student competition and specifically one involving my alma mater is a great opportunity,” said Cawthorne.

A Wellsburg native, Cawthorne made the most of his time at WVU, serving on and becoming president of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Student Advisory Board. He competed on WVU’s Formula Lightening Project, an electric car competition for engineering students, serving as team leader for five years.

“Working on the Formula Lightening Project taught me about the technical aspects of electrical engineering but also taught me valuable lessons about management, leadership, planning and budgeting,” said Cawthorne. “It really fostered my passion for alternative-fueled vehicles and helped me to get to where I am today in my career.”

“Bill was the spark behind WVU’s very successful Formula Lightening,” said Roy Nutter, professor in the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering and team adviser. “Without his leadership and enthusiasm, the team would not have been the success that it was.”

After earning four degrees at WVU – two at the undergraduate level in addition to a master’s and doctorate in electrical engineering – Cawthorne headed to General Motors where he serves as the engineering group manager for control systems engineering in the Electrification New Products Department in Milford, Michigan. He leads, manages and provides technical guidance to the team of engineers that develop the control systems for GM products.

As EcoCAR3 team mentor, Cawthorne helps guide more than 40 undergraduate and graduate students through the four-year competition to create a hybrid-electric Chevrolet Camaro that reduces environmental impact while maintaining the performance of the car.

“Bill has been a valuable resource to our team during the first year of the EcoCAR3 competition,” said Andrew Nix, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and faculty adviser of EcoCAR3. “His extensive practical experience in hybrid vehicle technology at GM has benefited our team significantly and his mentorship has really helped our students. Bill’s passion for WVU has provided additional motivation for our team.”

“Working with the students at WVU has been a very positive experience,” said Cawthorne. “They have dedication and passion and are willing to put in the long hours and hard work that is required to be successful in this competition.”

And while winning the competition is a goal for Cawthorne, it is not the only measure of success.

“At GM, we look forward to sponsoring EcoCAR competitions to help foster the next generation of great automotive engineers,” said Cawthorne. “If we only considered winning a success, we would miss out on recognizing all of the skills learned and the job opportunities created.

“As a West Virginia native and alumni, I am proud to be a Mountaineer. I hope mentoring the EcoCar3 team will help the university that shaped me and create opportunities for these students that lead to successful futures.”

-WVU-

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CONTACT: Mary C. Dillon, Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
304.293.4086, Mary.Dillon@mail.wvu.edu

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