Théo Laplasse, currently in his first year of the Arts et Métiers ParisTech Grande Ecole Program on the Cluny Campus, created the Arts & Métiers Racing Team (AMRT) of which he is the president. Théo brought together students from the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Cluny to design and build an electric single-seater vehicle. The goal: to represent Arts et Métiers Formula Student, an inter-school engineering competition.
A shared passion: motorsports...
"Ever since I was little, I've been passionate about motorsports, probably because my father regularly took me to see different races: Formula 1, rally, etc. I collected toy cars and loved car video games. However, what interested me most was the technical aspect. I designed and built my own cars using LEGO Technic. The materials and mechanisms that made up and powered these vehicles sparked my curiosity," admits Théo Laplasse.
It was while attending Lycée La Prat’s in Cluny that Théo discovered the Formula Student competition on social media and immediately wanted to take part. "Competing with a vehicle that I designed and built myself only confirmed my desire to attend engineering school,"adds Théo.
Becoming an Arts et Métiers engineer: interpersonal skills and expertise
As soon as he arrived at the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Cluny, Théo managed to motivate around twenty of his classmates to take part in this competition. They are working on the design and manufacture of an electric single-seater car."As the engineers of tomorrow, we have a duty to promote cleaner means of transport, so electric was the obvious choice for us," Théo emphasizes.
Through this challenge, the students also want to convey values that are important to them: ecology, gender equality, technical innovation, and education. "We want to forge links with primary schools so that children can benefit from this project, by explaining our approach to them in simple terms. These exchanges will enable us to raise their awareness of ecology and gender equality: to show young girls that they can work in technical fields just like their male classmates.".
Despite the lockdown, this project is moving forward and the students are not letting the situation unsettle them.
Who is Theo Laplasse?
Arts et Métiers an engineering school renowned for the quality of its technological education and where many alumni work in the automotive industry; it was obvious to me that I should attend this school.
Théo enrolled Arts et Métiers a preparatory course in Physics and Technology (PT) at Lycée La Prat’s in Cluny. He is currently enrolled in a hands-on program, where he is working on a solar oven project designed to teach elementary school children in Cluny about physical phenomena.
Once he graduates, he wants to pursue a career in the automotive industry. His participation in the Formula Student project will enable him to demonstrate his knowledge and skills in this field, which is very important to him.
