Name: Emily Anthony
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Year: Junior
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
HC: What activities are you involved in on campus?
Emily: I’m involved in FSAE (Formula Society of Automotive Engineers) and Pitt Urban Gaming Club
HC: What is FSAE?
Emily: It is a student design, engineering, and project management competition. We design, fabricate, and race an open wheeled formula style race vehicle each year.
HC: Wow, that’s pretty neat! So, I guess it’s not a go kart, then?
Emily: It is neat. This thing has a 600cc motorcycle engine in it and makes around 80 Horsepower. They don’t put those in go karts!
HC: That’s incredible! What are the races like?
Emily: They are so exciting! We compete against over 120 schools from all over the world. The top engineering schools from Germany, Canada, the US, and others compete in Michigan. We have 4 dynamic events at competition: skid pad (figure 8), acceleration (straight line), autocross (one lap around a track) and the main event, endurance (a 22km race). Endurance is worth 30% of our points in competition and is one of the most stressful events to watch. Only about 40 teams will finish endurance each year. What I love is interacting with all the other teams and learning about their schools and their different cultures. I have friends from all around the US and the world now because of FSAE.
HC: Can Pitt students watch these races?
Emily: Not really, unfortunately, but we do informal tests outside Benedum Hall or in the OC lot behind Sutherland Hall. We’re also going to have a rollout ceremony on March 7th to reveal the car and celebrate with students and sponsors. We will announce the details on our Facebook page.
HC: So, about Urban Gaming Club. What is that?
Emily: We basically organize outdoor games like capture the flag and HvZ.
HC: What’s HvZ?
Emily: HvZ is Humans vs Zombies. It’s essentially a huge game of tag. Three people are zombies at the start of the game and they’re disguised. Their job is to try to tag the “humans” and turn them into zombies. Humans can defend themselves with Nerf blasters and boppers. It’s a lot of fun. I’m known as the “Zombie Queen” because I love starting out as a zombie. I take it way too seriously…
HC: Haha that’s hilarious. So how can people get involved in FSAE and Urban Gaming Club?
Emily: You can come to the FSAE office in SB24 Benedum hall or email us at pitt.fsae@gmail.com. To join Urban Gaming, email us at pitturbangaming@gmail.com and join our Facebook page. It is an official Pitt group. You can also follow us on Twitter: @PittFSAE and @PittUGC.
HC: I also know you have a pretty significant online presence on Pitt Facebook groups. How did that all start?
Emily: I like to be involved in the incoming freshman pages. It gives me a chance to answer questions for them and talk about the university I love so much. I remember how overwhelming it was as an incoming freshman and the upperclassmen on the unofficial “Class of…” pages really helped me out.
HC: I also know you have a few haters on those pages. Any messages for them?
Emily: If you see me, come say, “Hi.” I may be very blunt online, but I’m a very bubbly person and I like people. I feel bad that people take my frankness as a little bit of attitude. I’m sorry if I ever upset anybody!
Photo Credit: Theo Schwarz