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Edouard Sandoz was enjoying his life as an auto mechanic when he crashed his motorcycle at a racing event in 1997. The incident left him paralyzed from the chest down.
Now, as a design engineer at Honda R&D Americas, Inc (Raymond, OH), he's had career opportunities he never considered before his accident. He designs and creates auto parts by computer, and also finds ways to improve the performance of specific parts. "I take a lot of pride in being conceptually involved with creating a vehicle," Sandoz says.
Sandoz grew up in New Hampshire and is one of six children. His interest in automobiles was sparked when he worked part time at a greenhouse business. The owner was an avid car hobbyist, and he taught Sandoz a lot about mechanics.
Sandoz attended a technical high school, and after graduation in 1990 he took a job as a mechanic at Colorado Custom Muffler (Lakewood, CO). He got an associate of applied sciences degree in automotive technologies from Denver Automotive and Diesel College (Denver, CO) in February 1992, and went to IBT Automotive (Millis, MA), where he worked for five years.
After his accident Sandoz was in physical rehab for four months. "It took me a while to figure out what I was going to do next," he recalls.
He called Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI, Worcester, MA) to inquire about its curriculum, and learned that WPI would accept credits from a community college if he had a B average or better. So he enrolled at Quinnsigamond Community College (Worcester, MA). "I figured it would save me a ton of money, so that's the route I decided to take," Sandoz says. "My original plan was to complete a couple of courses and transfer to WPI, but the program at Quinnsigamond was quite good, so I stayed for two years."
Sandoz received his associates in basic engineering from Quinnsigamond in May 2001, and then started classes at WPI, where he received a BSME with a concentration in design in October 2003. His senior project at WPI was to create a race car as part of a team for the Formula SAE Competition, held every year in Michigan and sponsored by the three large American auto manufacturers. Teams follow a set of guidelines to build an open-wheeled race car for the competition.
Car manufacturers from around the world also attend the event, and Honda was there the year Sandoz participated. The company hosted a recruiting dinner where engineers and managers accepted resumes. Sandoz submitted his, and soon afterward the company called him for an interview.
He started at Honda R&D's Ohio Center in 2003. He works on a large design floor with about 650 other employees from many other disciplines. "Having all those people around actually helps with the development process," he says. More than 1,400 people work at Honda R&D Americas facilities in the U.S.
A lot of his work involves testing prototypes and using the results to design car parts. "I'm in the upper body group that deals with the steel structure of the car, from the floor to the roof. In designing the physical shape of the parts, we consider the purpose and cost of the part, crash protection, how it will hold up to corrosion, and many other factors," he explains.
Sometimes he has to travel to suppliers or factories to collaborate on a specific car design. One factory is only a couple of miles away from his office, but he has also flown to Canada for his job.
Sandoz's physical disability hasn't hindered him. In fact, he's had some notable and fun career achievements. Prior to joining Honda he was a guest on the hit television show Monster Garage. He helped celebrities on the show convert a Mercedes SUV into a vehicle that could be driven by someone in a wheelchair. Today, at Honda, he participates in the company's Dreamquest program, in which employees research and implement their own innovative projects. His first Dreamquest team developed an Acura TL race car, which won first place in a rigorous twenty-five-hour endurance race. His current project is still in the formative stages.
Sandoz drives his own van, which is outfitted for his disability. It's a Ford, but only, he insists, because he hasn't had a chance yet to revamp a Honda. Last year he bought a 1994 Acura NSX, a two-seater mid-engine sports car, and is presently modifying it so that he can transfer into it from his wheelchair.
Sandoz is pleased that Honda has softball and racing teams, a wellness center with an indoor heated pool, and many other organized employee activities.
He enjoys applying his knowledge of car mechanics to the design of computer adaptations. He doesn't have function in his fingers, but he can move his arms and wrists, so he made a small device that makes it easier for him to hold onto a 3D mouse. He uses voice recognition software for large documents.
"You shouldn't look at a disability as a limiting factor," he says. "With all of the aids that are available, there is no reason to limit yourself to what you can do easily. If you want to accomplish something, you just have to be dedicated and stick with your goals."
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