Research in the world of AI: Dog Sled Design
For his final project in the Research in the World of AI Expedition course, Lucas ‘26 conducted a self-directed research study with instructor guidance, focusing on the application of automotive aerodynamics to dog sleds: "The Application of Automotive Aerodynamics to Dog Sled Design". Inspired by his passion for cars—specifically aerodynamics—and his interest in dog sledding, particularly the Iditarod race, Lucas set out to explore how engineering principles could enhance sled design for better speed, downforce, and efficiency.
The project involved designing a hands-on experiment with applied concepts from automotive engineering, such as spoilers and diffusers, to improve the efficiency of dog sleds. Lucas used AI to assist his project in terms of literature review, gathering and summarizing relevant scientific studies on aerodynamics and sled design, organizing and visualizing experimental data, processing ANOVA statistical tests for data evaluation, and guiding interpretation of statistical findings to confirm result reliability.
Through this research, he identified key studies in automotive design and aerodynamics that could be adapted to dog sledding, aiming to improve overall sled performance.
“This project allowed me to combine my personal interests with practical engineering principles and gave me a deeper appreciation for the complexity of scientific research.” - Lucas
To top it all off, Lucas got to accompany Watershed educator Jenn Campbell-Smith, PhD. to Anchorage, Alaska for the Iditarod Educators' Conference! Jenn presented a piece called "Harnessing Curiosity: How the Iditarod Can Lead Students to Learning", which tied in perfectly with Lucas’s final project. We're so excited they both got to partake in this unique opportunity!
