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Want to join this year's Formula Student competition as a volunteer? Read the full descriptions of all the available opportunities here and submit your application before the end of February 2022 to get involved!
What's your history in relation to Formula Student, what area of the competition are you involved in and how long have you been involved?
Inma Andres (IA): I visited FS in 2019 with a friend, who introduced me to some judges. The experience was great, I could see the great vibe, see how some judges were interacting with the students, etc. I was really impressed and I spoke with John Dangerfield about some of the materials which were used in one of the single-seat racecars and also about the impact on the environment. Surprisingly for me, he suggested that I should become a judge the following year and I got quite excited about the idea to be part of FS as a cost judge. In 2021, I applied to become a cost judge and I hope to be involved in the following year.
What is your motivation for your involvement in FS?
IA: My motivation is to see how students from across the world use different kinds of materials in a particular application. As a member of a university, I always found excited to show students how the theory of material science can be found in applications such as cars, pieces of equipment or devices. I am always motivated to help students and to be part of FS help me to provide a real experience of what the student will find in their future careers.
What's the best thing about being involved with FS?
IA: The best thing about FS is that I met people from different backgrounds had amazing conversations and spent time with them. Also, I found FS a great learning opportunity, as I learned from my team members' disciplines.
What advice would you give to someone considering being involved in your area?
IA: If you are considering being involved in FS as a judge, just do it! You will meet great people, they will support and help you, by the time that you have to judge the second team of students you will know what to do! It is a really fun experience and an excellent opportunity to gain new knowledge.
Do you have a funny / poignant / interesting story or anecdote about an FS experience that you'd like to share?
IA: During one of my breaks, I went to pits to browse the various teams. In one instance, a team started to move very fast, keeping an eye on me and getting a bit nervous by my presence. One of the students approached me and he said "Hi, we are ready to present our project!" I responded that I didn't need it and I was just looking. They seemed surprised and then I realised that I was wearing the judge's t-shirt with the word JUDGE on my back. After a clarification, they seemed much more relaxed and we laughed about it.
What does the future of FS look like and how do you hope to be a part of it?
IA: The future of FS looks more innovative, fun, creative and an annual highlight in my calendar which I cannot wait to be involved again!