Iowa State Professor Greg Luecke will receive a Faculty Advisor Award this month from the Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE).

Luecke, who is a professor in mechanical engineering, is active in the ISU Student Chapter of SAE.

He was nominated by SAE student officers who wanted to recognize him for supporting a team competition in which they build and race cars.

“SAE has a number of student team competitions,” Luecke said.

The two main competitions involve a mini-Formula 1 car and a mini-Baja, which is similar to a dune buggy.

“We take them to the meet held in a central location and race against other universities,” he said.

Also part of the acknowledgment is Luecke’s research in virtual reality.

“We use robotics to touch and feel graphics and objects displayed on a computer screen,” he said.

To receive the award, Luecke has been invited as a guest to the SAE International Congress and Exposition in Detroit, Mich. that will be held at the end of February.

“It’s a big automotive conference,” Luecke said.

“There are a lot of technical presentations and an awards ceremony where I’ll receive the award,” he said.

“He’s a great professor in our college; we really respect him,” Theodore Okiishi, associate dean of the College of Engineering said.

“The students really like him and he’s a good guy,” Okiishi said.