ENSTONE, UK – The search for bright, budding engineering talent in the 2017 edition of the INFINITI Engineering Academy has concluded. Now, the seven winners from each region – Asia & Oceania, Canada, China, Europe, Mexico, the Middle East and United States – join a 12-month placement working on both automotive and Formula One™ technologies.
The INFINITI Engineering Academy is the result of the technical partnership and strong collaboration between INFINITI Motor Company and the Renault Sport Formula One Team. To become one of the seven winners, applicants completed an online engineering puzzle test (designed by puzzle and brainteaser experts Brilliant.org) as part of a multi-stage recruitment process. The 10 best applicants were then invited to participate in a final competition in their specific region where the seven finalists secured their spot.
"With every edition of the Academy, we are more and more impressed by the amount of interest received from students all over the world and the incredible level of the talent attracted," said Tommaso Volpe, global director, INFINITI Motorsport. "Students have seen the accomplishments of our former Academy graduates, who have forged successful careers in both automotive and motorsport. As a result, more students than ever before want to participate to get this once-in-a-lifetime engineering experience to launch their careers. With Formula One becoming more relevant to the automotive industry, and with an increased focus of the placements this year being on the road car development, we are training a new generation of engineers who will play a key role in the crossover between the two industries."
The seven new winners are currently transitioning to the UK for a career opportunity of a lifetime that will include travel, an INFINITI company car, a salary and the chance to work alongside world-leading engineers at the cutting edge of the automotive and motorsport industries.
A key pillar of the INFINITI Engineering Academy is exploring crossover opportunities and the sharing of technology between INFINITI road cars and Renault Sport Formula One projects. With this added depth of knowledge transfer, and the enhanced scope for collaboration that the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance brings, the Academy provides an unmatched range of experiences and opportunities to the 2017 winners.
"The seven Academy winners from last year's intake have already been working hard in important roles at our Enstone base, strengthening our technical resource with fresh-thinking engineering ability," said Cyril Abiteboul, managing director, Renault Sport Racing. "Attracting top new talent is crucial for success in Formula One, and the Academy helps us to do this. We look forward to and presume the same great levels of talent from this year's winners. They will be expected to quickly slot into our team and contribute to our 2017 and 2018 Formula One campaigns."
Highlights from each 2017 INFINITI Engineering Academy winner
Asia & Oceania Winner Jacob Debono
Jacob Debono attends the Australian National University (ANU) and is working on a degree in science and engineering.
Canada Winner Matthew Crossan
Matthew Crossan is a Masters of Engineering Science student with a specialty in composite materials at Western University in Canada.
China Winner Yifei Liao
Yifei Liao is set to graduate from Tongii University this summer with a degree in Mechanical Design Manufacturing.
Europe Winner Damien Turley
Danien Turley from France is the winner of the INFINITI Engineering Academy Final for the Europe region.
Mexico Winner José Pablo Avalos
José Pablo Avalos is an engineering student from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Mexico.
Middle East Winner Yazan Alhindawi
Yazan Alhindawi is a mechanical engineering graduate and currently enrolled in a Masters in health, safety and environment at the Petroleum Institute.
USA Winner Evan Sloan
Evan Sloan is a mechanical engineering student at the California Institute of Technology.
Highlights from the 2017 Competition
INFINITI Engineering Academy – USA
INFINITI Engineering Academy - Europe
INFINITI Engineering Academy - Canada
Contact
Jon Walsh
Senior Manager, INFINITI Global Communications
INFINITI Motor Company Ltd., Hong Kong
Phone: +852 3948 0129
Mobile: +852 9447 9705
jon.walsh@INFINITI.com
Maria De Juana
INFINITI Formula One Communications Manager
Mobile: +44 7825 898 657
mdejuana@prismteam.com
More information about INFINITI and its industry-leading technologies can be found at www.INFINITI.com. You can also follow INFINITI on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.
For the latest news on the INFINITI Engineering Academy and to test your ability on some of the engineering puzzles designed by Brilliant, visit the INFINITI Engineering Academy website and on Facebook and Twitter.