Work is underway at the 31 universities participating in this year’s Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge (FPVC). The FPVC program tasks college engineering students with redesigning a traditional bicycle using hydraulics as the mode of power transmission. In the first semester of the Vehicle Challenge, teams learn about fluid power components, circuits, and systems, and their use in controlling force and motion as they prepare for their Midway Review. Throughout the program year, they’ll gain hands-on experience designing and building a fluid power system and mounting components. With three different races on the horizon, they’ll strategize about which system will optimize their chance at victory.
You can help them along the journey by serving as a Midway Review Judge during the months of December and January. Each review is 45 minutes, plus 10 minutes of Q&A. Judges are welcome to participate in as many Midway Reviews as their schedules permit but are not required to evaluate all 31 teams. During these virtual reviews, student teams present their initial designs and receive feedback from industry professionals. As a judge, you can speak directly with each team and provide valuable feedback as they begin the next stage of their project.
2026-27 Participating Universities
| Bucknell University (PA) | Purdue University (IN) |
| Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo (CA) | Purdue University Northwest (IN) |
| Cleveland State University (OH) | South Dakota State University (SD) |
| Colorado School of Mines (CO) | SUNY Polytechnic Institute (NY) |
| Drexel University (PA) | Tennessee State University (TN) |
| FAMU-FSU College of Engineering (FL) | Texas A&M University (TX) |
| Iowa State University (IA) | University of Alabama at Birmingham (AL) |
| Kennesaw State University (GA) | University of California at Irvine (CA) |
| Michigan Technological University (MI) | University of Cincinnati (OH) |
| Milwaukee School of Engineering (WI) | University of Houston (TX) |
| Minnesota State University Mankato (MN) | University of Akron (OH) |
| Murray State University (KY) | University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (IL) |
| North Carolina A&T (NC) | University of Louisiana at Lafayette (LA) |
| Northern Illinois University (IL) | University of Utah (UT) |
| Oakland University (MI) | Western Michigan University (MI) |
| Penn State University (PA) |
Participation in the Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge is normally reserved for donors to the Pascal Society, but all NFPA members are invited to take part in the Midway Reviews to learn more about the program and the benefits and opportunities associated with being a Pascal Society Donor. Contact Mary Pluta at mpluta@nfpa.com to sign up as a Midway Review Judge today.