What is second nature to any candy lover – opening
a bag of M&M's and pouring them into a bowl – takes on a new twist
on Saturday as students from a dozen area middle and high schools come to
campus to take a new approach to the task.
The goal: design a Rube Goldberg machine, named for the
famed Pulitzer Prize-winning artist whose “inventions” satirized
new technologies, that incorporates a minimum of 20 steps to pour M&M's
into a bowl without spilling. The machines will include everything from
levers and chains to ball bearings and bells, according to some student
designers.
Hosted by the College's engineering department, the
contest runs Saturday, April 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Memorial
Fieldhouse.
The winning team will receive a $100 honorarium.
“The contest, quite simply, makes engineering
fun,” said Dean of Engineering Robert Balmer. “The only limits
on machine design are their own imaginations. It's a great way for
students to showcase their design talents and inspire an interest in
engineering at the same time.”