Hello, everyone!
ORE and the Office of Undergraduate Research are trying to promote the
Rube Goldberg Challenge – one of the fun and interesting ways for students to participate in
Research Week (April 16-20). We held our first RGC last year and didn’t have great participation, though it was a great project for our two winners.
Students can register as individuals or in teams. There are cash prizes for first-, second-, and third-place winners. Most importantly, they are lifted upon the shoulders of their peers and carried through
campus as we all sing their praises. (Just kidding on that last part.)
We’d love your help in promoting this challenge to your students. The deadline to enter is
this Friday, April 6. They don’t have to have their machines completed at that time, just the desire to compete. Complete information and the entry form can be found
here.
2018 Challenge
Task:
Design and build a Rube Goldberg device made out of readily available items that will use a complicated series of actions to trigger a final action that demonstrates your school spirit. Examples could be raising
a banner, kicking a field goal, playing Rocky Top, etc.
Requirements:
- Your device must consist mainly of readily available objects.
- Once started, your device must operate successfully without interaction.
- The device must have at least 5 different steps.
- From start to finish, the operating time of your device must be at least 15 seconds but cannot exceed one minute.
- The device must fit in a 3 ft x 3 ft x 2 ft imaginary rectangular volume.
- The device must be able to be operated in a safe, clean, and non-destructive manner (e.g. no fires, explosions, sharp projectiles, high-speed projectiles, etc.).
Thanks so much!
Erin
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Erin K. Chapin
Director of Research Communications
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Office of Research and Engagement
112 Blount Hall
1534 White Ave.
Knoxville, TN 37996-1529
865-974-2187
research.utk.edu
Big Orange. Big Ideas.