Rube Goldberg Contest at Purdue
Dan Endean of St. Olaf pumps his fist in celebration after his team's machine successfully completed a run during the Rube Goldberg Machine Contest at Purdue University on Saturday, March 28, 2009. Endean and his team from St. Olaf took first place in the competition. (Purdue Marketing and Media photo/Andrew Hancock)
What 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?
Regional competition is 10:30 a.m. Feb. 20 in the Purdue Armory
National competition is 10:30 a.m. March 27 in the Purdue Armory
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."
