Do you have any experiences joining project teams?

Hi Megan, 

These are great questions and serious issues that you raise - even asking and bringing these things up indicate a high level of social awareness and team dynamics, valuable skills for any project team! 

First - it is hard to join any team or organization, in any context, as "the new one." For Solar Car teams or any university teams there is constant turnover and growth, which afford a few different points of entry. I recommend two specific approaches: (1) Are there any other rising sophomores who have just joined the team, or any new members you feel you can work with? It is easier to have a buddy or pal who is also a novice to talk things over with when the more experienced team members are tough to approach. (2) Identify a specific subsystem or aspect of the Solar Car that you are MOST interested in to start with - you can choose based on the people involved with that subsystem as well, if any of the group seems more open than others to new members. Look for a team that appears to work productively, with a leader that you can approach with your interest. Ask to 'shadow' a group member for a work session, or see if there are any team members amenable to being mentors and showing you the ropes. Ask a more experienced member how they got started with the team, what their first task was, which group or subsystem they started with. You may need to get (even further) out of your comfort zone to get into the core of the project team, note how the other teammates interact with one another and consider adopting any of their strategies yourself. 

Second - You are smart too! Don't sell yourself short! "Guys" have a tendency to overstate their knowledge and qualifications, where women tend to be modest and underestimate their skills and experience. Knowing you love cars, keep following your passion. The car community online is still very masculine but has a lot of information, tutorials, videos, forums - all good ways to learn!! Another tip - familiarize yourself with the working environment and tools available to the team. Find out what kind of equipment or material is in the workspace and where everything goes at the end of the day, and you will quickly become indispensable. Ask questions and gather information - you will provide an undoubtedly valuable perspective to your team.

Finally, as for entering the automotive industry, joining the Solar Car team is a great step in that direction. Stay alert for internship opportunities while you are in college - ask your advisor or career services office if Stanford has any connections to specific automotive companies, and work those connections to get a foot in the door. Look for meet-up groups in your area! And keep in mind the "automotive industry" is very broad, with many supporting and related industries you may also be interested in. If you are ever located near an automotive giant's headquarters (Honda in Columbus, Ohio or any in Detroit) - contact them in advance and see if you can get a tour! Just some ideas. 

Overall - good luck to you and I believe strongly in your capacity to be an awesome contributing member to your Solar Car team. They're lucky to have you and they should recognize that soon!