Two members of PrISUm, Iowa State’s solar car team, will leave today for Australia as part of a student exchange with the University of New South Wales.

Brian Moorhead, senior in electrical engineering, and Randy Ritt, freshman in electrical engineering, will participate in the preparations of the Australian team’s upcoming solar car race.

The two will return to Iowa on Dec. 28.

College of Engineering Dean Jim Melsa proposed the trip.

“We already have an exchange program with the University of New South Wales, and they are involved in solar car programs as we are,” Melsa said.

He said the exchange is intended to enhance the global perspectives of students and also bring back valuable information to incorporate into the PrISUm car.

Team PrISUm currently buys the solar cells used to transfer energy from the sun to the car. Team members may increase their knowledge of solar cells because of UNSW’s experience in solar cell development, Melsa said.

“[UNSW is] certainly one of the world leaders in solar cell development,” he said.

Moorhead agreed that the exchange of ideas should be beneficial to both teams.

“The biggest advantage [will be] the discussion of tradeoff issues in designing, building and racing a solar car,” Moorhead said.

Moorhead and Melsa said the teams take different approaches because they participate in different races.

“We hope to be able to find some of their secrets and have them find some of ours,” Melsa said.

Ritt said his involvement with the team is an investment in the future.

“It’s the start of a relationship between teams,” Ritt said. “[Also, the ISU team is] looking for someone who will be a leader in the years to come.”

Melsa agreed that sending a young member of Team PrISUm will give the team an advantage down the road.

“[A freshman] was chosen with the intent that the student would be a link to the future,” he said.

Team PrISUM is preparing for its 1999 race from Washington, D.C. to Orlando, Florida. Team members plan to race the new car they are building, PrISUm Phoenix, more than 1,300 miles for Sunrayce ’99.