Our Team

About Our Team

Baja SAE Racing at Cornell is an engineering project team that annually designs, builds, and races an All-Terrain Vehicle to compete in the SAE Collegiate Baja Design Series every year. Founded in 2003 by a group of mechanical engineers who wanted to bring their acquired engineering skills to the race track, Baja SAE Racing at Cornell has grown to encourage and support hands-on engineering and project-based learning for over 50 students from a diverse collection of majors. Comprising six subteams, students from all majors and schools of Cornell work together to ensure that team operations run smoothly, whether constructing the car, reaching out to sponsors, or racing during competition. Competing across the country, we value each one of our team members, as none of our success would be possible without each member’s hard work as a cohesive unit.

6

subteams

12

different majors

50%

women

60

members

6

subteams

12

different majors

50%

women

60

members

Team Leads

Rachel Ortiz

Rachel Ortiz

Mechanical Engineering '27
Ava Rosenow

Ava Rosenow

Mechanical Engineering '27
Greg Svensson

Greg Svensson

Mechanical Engineering '27

Onboarding Lead

Bella Pensabene

Bella Pensabene

Mechanical Engineering '27

Drivetrain Subteam

The drivetrain subteam designs and manufactures the driveline that carries torque from the transmission to all four wheels, including gearboxes, driveshafts, and wheel hubs. With every part expected to survive a four-hour endurance race, a focus is placed on durability and serviceability.

Elias Herrera Hernandez

Elias Herrera Hernandez

Mechanical Engineering '28

Drivetrain Lead

Susanna Aufrichtig

Susanna Aufrichtig

Mechanical Engineering '28
Cole Finnan

Cole Finnan

Mechanical Engineering '28
Arda Griffin

Arda Griffin

Mechanical Engineering '28
Alex Rokkos

Alex Rokkos

Mechanical Engineering '28
Rocco Vitela

Rocco Vitela

Mechanical Engineering '28
Alex Elia

Alex Elia

Mechanical Engineering '29
Sofia Eliasi

Sofia Eliasi

Physics + Music '29
Donovan Ennis

Donovan Ennis

ECE '29
Eva Odio

Eva Odio

Engineering Physics '29
Alex Taylor

Alex Taylor

MAE + ECE '29

Transmission Subteam

The transmission subteam designs and manufactures the vehicle's custom continuously variable transmission (CVT), tuning shift behavior and gear ratios to balance torque and top speed across the competition's endurance, acceleration, and hill climb events.

Trevor Boshnack

Trevor Boshnack

Mechanical Engineering '28

Transmission Lead

Ashlyn Roeder

Ashlyn Roeder

Mechanical Engineering '28
Theresa Pritchett

Theresa Pritchett

Mechanical Engineering '29

Suspension Subteam

The suspension subteam is responsible for defining and achieving the desired handling characteristics of the car. The suspension constraints in a Baja car are unique to off-roading in that it must be able to tackle uneven rocks, logs, jumps, and hairpin turns. Through the design and manufacturing of custom linkages, ball joints and steering racks, as well as custom tuning of the springs and dampers, the suspension subteam is able to ensure that the vehicle maneuvers as needed with minimal driver effort.

Sava Iliev

Sava Iliev

Mechanical Engineering '28

Suspension Lead

Camille Eckert

Camille Eckert

Mechanical Engineering '28
Eva Gottesfeld

Eva Gottesfeld

Mechanical Engineering '28
Michael Cameron

Michael Cameron

Mechanical Engineering '29
Victor Guimbretiere

Victor Guimbretiere

Mechanical Engineering '29
Shelby Hilarczyk

Shelby Hilarczyk

Mechanical Engineering '29
Izzah Nishad

Izzah Nishad

Mechanical Engineering '29

Frame Subteam

The frame subteam is tasked with designing and manufacturing the roll cage and main structure of the Baja car, creating a safe, protective barrier between our driver and the harsh obstacles of the course. The frame must attach all of the other components of the car through a solid foundation.

Mallory Moore

Mallory Moore

Mechanical Engineering '28

Frame Lead

Adam Sayah

Adam Sayah

Mechanical Engineering '28
Calliope McFadden

Calliope McFadden

Mechanical Engineering '29
Quinn Teather

Quinn Teather

Engineering Physics '29

Brakes Subteam

The brakes subteam designs and manufactures custom master cylinders, rotors, and calipers. Design constraints are determined through on-car testing and a custom dynamometer, which are used to create a reliable, effective, and easy to maintain system.

Magnus Carson

Magnus Carson

Mechanical Engineering '28

Brakes Lead

Ayla Desai

Ayla Desai

Mechanical Engineering '29
Sam Fisk

Sam Fisk

Mechanical Engineering '29

Business Subteam

The business subteam is responsible for the team's logistics and many of its operational facets. These include sourcing and maintaining sponsor relationships, designing and distributing public relations materials, coordinating team travel, designing apparel, fundraising, and recruitment of new members. The business subteam also competes in the Business Presentation event each season.

Rex Popick

Rex Popick

Information Science '28

Business Lead

Christina Boehm

Christina Boehm

Chemical Engineering '27
Sam Bae

Sam Bae

Economics '28
Chloe Tseng

Chloe Tseng

Biological Engineering '28
Paige Elliott

Paige Elliott

HADM '29
Le Wang

Le Wang

Economics + English '29

R&D

Maya Chakraborty

Maya Chakraborty

Mechanical Engineering '27
Sean Dempsey

Sean Dempsey

Mechanical Engineering '27
Jake Dick

Jake Dick

Mechanical Engineering '27
Owen LaPierre

Owen LaPierre

Environmental Engineering '27
Hugo Mazzali

Hugo Mazzali

Mechanical Engineering '27
Dan O'Malley

Dan O'Malley

Mechanical Engineering '27

New Members

We couldn't be more excited to welcome our newest members after the fall recruiting cycle! In your first semester, you won't be assigned to a specific subteam right away. Instead, you'll work on a hands-on project that teaches core technical and collaboration skills, and directly contributes to the team's success. These projects are not busy work; they prepare you to join a subteam in your second year with confidence and experience. Will you join us as we race to the top?