Jessica Kersey of Gloucester, is a member of Virginia Tech’s Chem-E-Car team that earned first place in the 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineering student event held recently at the University of Virginia. 

The competition tested the ability of the undergraduate team to design, build and control a vehicle that is both powered and stopped by chemical reaction. The challenge of the competition was to have an autonomous vehicle travel a prescribed distance and carry a given weight, with both variables provided just one hour prior to the competition.  Seventeen teams representing 15 universities competed. The Virginia Tech team had the best two runs of the day, which was reflective of a high level of knowledge and preparation, according to professor Peter Rim, team advisor.

Kersey is one of two Virginia Tech juniors on the team, which also includes two seniors, a sophomore and a freshman. All are chemical engineering majors. The team will head next to the nationa...