Abstract
Both engineering and society grapple with the ongoing rise of technology, where the former focuses on continuous performance improvement, and the latter meditates on what it means to remain human alongside technology. My capstone and research paper sit at this intersection: One pushing the performance boundaries of electric vehicle technology, and the other examining how deeply held Christian values will shape the boundaries we place on AI relationships.
Virginia Motorsports' Formula SAE electric vehicle currently relies on a simple rear wheel differential system that limits its competitive potential against top teams that exploit torque vectoring capabilities made possible by their four in-wheel hub motors. So, my capstone addresses this by designing and building a planetary gearbox integrated into the wheel upright assembly, enabling the same torque vectoring that allows top teams to manage their wheel speed and scrubbing losses. This proof of concept prioritizes performance, durability, manufacturability, and spatial efficiency to make the meaningful step toward a competitive racecar. While FSAE inspires a competitive engineering atmosphere that led to this gearbox design, engineering education cannot be limited to the stress concentrations of a gearbox. It needs to expand into the metaphysical questions of technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and our relationship with it.
My STS research explored how the Christian Church will steward AI use and Human-AI relationships - specifically whether AI will be embraced as a tool or rebuked as a threat to human connections. Using a historical analysis, I traced how Biblical values have consistently driven US policy on civil rights, gender, environmental stewardship, and abortion, arguing that the same framework can be used to govern AI policy. In the end, my research found that while Christians may broadly accept AI as a professional tool, church leadership is skeptical of AI emotional and spiritual relationships, citing concerns about idolatry, addiction, and the irreplaceable value of the human community.
We are building increasingly impressive, capable machines - from planetary gearboxes to AI systems - at a pace that far outmatches our ability to develop the social and theological frameworks to contain them. So, my projects embody the two sides of that same coin. The gearbox design reflects the achievements to be made by engineers as we push performance further. Conversely, my STS research suggests that the Christian majority will insist that engineering developments stay in their lane: powerful tools, but never replacements for the relationships that make us human.
