|
Rube Goldberg Contest at PurdueWhat is the competition?
Inspired by cartoonist Rube Goldberg, college students nationwide compete to design a machine that uses the most complex process to complete a simple task - put a stamp on an envelope, screw in a light bulb, make a cup of coffee - in 20 or more steps. The competition is sponsored by the Purdue University campus chapter of Theta Tau, a professional engineering fraternity.
Who were the 2009 National winners? A team from St. Olaf College, a small liberal arts college in Northfield, Minn., won the competition with their machine, which had a "mad scientist" theme. St. Olaf, which has no engineering program, was a first-time competitor in the national Rube Goldberg contest. The team was made up of majors in physics, math, music, Russian, statistics, religion and education. What was the 2009 task? The task was to replace an incandescent light bulb with a more energy-efficient, light-emitting design.
When are the 2010 contests? Contest dates and times will be announced at a later date. What is the 2010 task? The 2010 task will be to dispense an appropriate amount of hand sanitizer in someone's hand.
How did the contest gain national prominence? The contest began as a rivalry between two Purdue engineering fraternities and was popular at Purdue in the 1940s and 1950s. It was revived in 1983. Since then, winners have appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," "Newton's Apple," "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," "Late Night With David Letterman," NBC's "Today," CBS's "This Morning," CBS News, "Beyond 2000," CNN and ABC's "Good Morning America.".
|
