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PPE kits and technical support help drive safety among students participating in Shell Eco-marathon in Indianapolis

Competing teams pose in front of the pagoda at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at the 2022 Shell Eco-marathon event in Indianapolis, Indiana (USA). Shell Eco-marathon is one of the world’s leading student engineering competitions; a platform for thousands of STEM students to come together every year; to design, build and drive their own energy-efficient vehicles. ���Ǵ��� is sponsoring the 2022+2023 Shell Eco-marathon global competition. Photo credit: Photographic Services, Shell International Limited.

On April 10, 2022, the excitement of over 400 students and faculty from 46 high school and college teams flooded the paddocks of the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway as they gathered to compete in the first global event of the 2022 Shell Eco-marathon competition. Not only was this the first time that a Shell Eco-marathon event was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indiana, this was the first time teams had been welcomed back on track since 2020 and the first time ���Ǵ��� was sponsoring the event.

“You could just feel the excitement in the air as the students arrived from all over the U.S., Canada, and Mexico,” said Taylor Duhe, marketing communications specialist, ���Ǵ��� Personal Protection. “Most of the teams – ranging from high school to college students – have been working on these cars for over two years, so you could just imagine how their passion for engineering, science, and sustainability translated into their vehicles.”

A student driver gets ready to drive their team’s car on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway race track in the 2022 Shell Eco-marathon competition. Shell Eco-marathon is one of the world’s leading student engineering competitions; a platform for thousands of STEM students to come together every year; to design, build and drive their own energy-efficient vehicles. ���Ǵ��� is sponsoring the 2022+2023 Shell Eco-marathon global competition. Photo credit: Photographic Services, Shell International Limited.

DUPONT TEAMS UP WITH SHELL ECO-MARATHON

Shell Eco-marathon is one of the world’s leading student engineering competitions, enabling thousands of students in STEM (science, engineering, technology, and mathematics) to come together every year to design, build, and drive their own energy-efficient vehicles. Their goal? To drive the furthest distance while utilizing the least amount of energy. 

As a global innovation leader for safety solutions, an essential part of ���Ǵ���’s mission is to drive progress and innovation by investing in education in communities around the world.

“���Ǵ��� are a safety company, it’s at the core of what we do,” said Lori Gettelfinger, Global Marketing Communications Manager, ���Ǵ��� Personal Protection. “When Shell engaged us and explained the need for students to be protected while they worked with materials and chemicals like aluminum, carbon fiber, and lead-acid batteries to build their cars, we understood right away. With the help of our partners like Bulwark Protection, Ironclad, MCR Safety and PIP, we were able to ensure these young engineers were able to work on their cars safely with high-quality PPE made with Nomex®, Kevlar®, and Tyvek®.”

���Ǵ��� is supplying personal protective equipment (PPE) kits - which include Tyvek^® 500 coveralls and cut and heat-resistant gloves made with Kevlar^® - to all competing teams around the world. Photo credit: ���Ǵ���.

���Ǵ��� personal protective equipment (PPE) kits were hand-delivered to each team by ���Ǵ��� staff as they worked to modify their cars and pass the rigorous technical inspections required to compete.

The ���Ǵ��� PPE kits included high-performance flame and cut resistant gloves made with Nomex® Cut Technology from Bulwark; cut and contact heat resistant gloves made with Kevlar® from MCR Safety; welding gloves built with Kevlar® from Ironclad resistant to temperatures of up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit; Tyvek® 500 coveralls, nitrile gloves and safety goggles for protection against liquid chemical splash; and safety glasses for protection from dust and particulates. High-quality cut-resistant gloves made with Kevlar® from PIP will also be included in the ���Ǵ��� PPE kits for Shell Eco-marathon events taking place this year around the world. 

Along with the PPE kits, ���Ǵ��� team members joined forces with Shell Eco-marathon staff to provide overall safety oversight for the event and assistance in assessing the health and safety elements of the cars for their technical inspections. 

“There is no doubt that the support from ���Ǵ��� and the high-quality PPE that was provided has contributed to our delivering one of the safest Eco-marathon’s ever,” said Kirsteen Meldrum, Head of HSSE Corporate Relations, Shell International.

SHELL ECO-MARATHON DUPONT SAFETY AWARD

At closing ceremonies, ���Ǵ��� presented the Shell Eco-marathon ���Ǵ��� Safety Award to The Rolling Dukes from James Madison University. The Rolling Dukes were one of three teams in the competition who were evaluated on their safety practices in the competition. They are the very first recipients of this award in the 2022 Shell Eco-marathon competition. 

���Ǵ��� team members pose with the Shell Eco-marathon ���Ǵ��� Safety Award recipients, The Rolling Dukes from James Madison University. The Rolling Dukes were one of three teams in the competition who were evaluated on their safety practices in the competition. They are the very first recipients of this award in the 2022 Shell Eco-marathon competition. Photo credit: ���Ǵ���. 

���Ǵ��� will present the Shell Eco-marathon ���Ǵ��� Safety Award to the teams who best incorporate safe practices into everything they do before, during, and after the competitions at each Shell Eco-marathon event this year.

���Ǵ��� wish the applicants the best of luck as they continue to positively impact the safety of themselves, their teams, and their peers. 

A WORD ON SUSTAINABILITY

As a science-based company, ���Ǵ��� is committed to inspiring and cultivating the next generation of cutting-edge problem solvers. ���Ǵ��� do this by supporting STEM education programs and promoting hands-on, inquiry-based learning from elementary to post-doctoral education as well as career support programs for teachers and young professors.

Shell Eco-marathon embodies the spirit of innovation and ties it to Shell’s mission of powering progress to provide the world with more, cleaner energy solutions and commitment to becoming a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050.

“���Ǵ��� are deeply committed to protecting people and working towards cultivating a safer, more energy-efficient world – it’s at the core of our values,” said David Domnisch, vice president and general manager, ���Ǵ��� Tyvek^®. “Through Shell Eco-marathon, we hope to help each participating student grow their health and safety mindsets and inspire them to build that knowledge into everything they do.”

LET THE COMPETITION BEGIN!

With the kickoff event in Indianapolis now complete, the 2022 Shell Eco-marathon season has just begun with upcoming events taking place in the Netherlands, France, Brazil, Indonesia, and India.

“���Ǵ��� are thrilled to continue our sponsorship of the 2022+2023 Shell Eco-marathon competition as we work together to help cultivate safety and sustainability mindsets among the future generation of engineers all across the world,” says Gettelfinger. 

For additional information on ���Ǵ���’s sponsorship of Shell Eco-Marathon in 2022, visit www.dupont.com/personal-protection/dupont-shell-eco-marathon-2022.html

For additional information on the 2022+2023 Shell Eco-Marathon programme, visit

Lori Gettelfinger, Global Marketing Communications Manager, ���Ǵ��� Personal Protection, presents the Shell Eco-marathon ���Ǵ��� Safety Award to The Rolling Dukes from James Madison University. They are the very first recipients of this award in the 2022 Shell Eco-marathon competition. Photo credit: Photographic Services, Shell International Limited.