More than 80 engineering student design projects including a Rube Goldberg smore-making machine, a water-balloon launcher and a 3-D maze will be demonstrated at the University of Colorado at Boulder's ITL Spring Design Expo April 29.
The end-of-semester event, which is free and open to the public from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., will include interactive demonstrations in the Integrated Teaching and Learning Laboratory as well as outside on Herbst Plaza. The ITL Laboratory is located on Regent Drive just south of Colorado Avenue.
The Design Expo is a popular educational event for children and families. The event will showcase the work of about 400 CU-Boulder engineering students along with at least 75 middle and high school students involved in the engineering school's Technology and Engineering to Advance Math and Science initiative. Students from Angevine Middle School and Centaurus High School's Pre-Engineering Academy will show their first ventures into the world of engineering projects.
CU-Boulder student projects include Rube Goldberg contraptions, which perform simple tasks in complex ways, educational toys, interactive learning exhibits that demonstrate engineering principles, assistive technology for people with disabilities, appropriate technology for developing communities and computer simulations of physical phenomena.
Several senior design projects in aerospace, chemical and mechanical engineering, including the Society of Automotive Engineers' Formula race car, also will be demonstrated.
Volunteers from industry, government and the community will serve as judges, rating each project on its originality, craftsmanship, understanding of engineering principles, effectiveness and presentation. An awards ceremony will be held at the close of the event, and prizes will be given to the best design project in each category. Members of the community also can vote for their favorite project to win the "People's Choice" award.
Free parking is available across the street in lot 436. For more information call (303) 492-7222.