Since Halloween made its way into everyone’s lives, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers has decided to hold its first ever Jack-O-Launcher Competition.
There are three events that teams may enter, the showcase event being the actual Jack-O-Launcher event, where contestants aim to launch their pumpkin as far as possible.
The other two events are an aesthetics contest, where launch machines are judged on their good looks and a pumpkin carving competition. The contest is open to everyone, including high school teams and community members.
ASME is going all out to make the event a success, so don’t be surprised if you see local newspapers, television and radio stations present at the event.
The object of the competition is to promote engineering as an exciting field for young people and promote education and teamwork outside the classroom.
“The Jack-O-Launcher event is a great way to bring students and faculty together, combining fun with the sciences is what it’s all about.” junior and ASME Social Chair Dan Nathan-Roberts said.
Among the competing teams are three from local high schools in the Greater Rochester Area, three confirmed UR student teams ? the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the Society of Women Engineers, the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society and two teams made up of UR staff.
“The design experience is one that fosters creativity and innovation, and an opportunity like this one will allow teams to get a taste for the design and development process while working on a really fun project,” senior and Tau Beta Pi officer Emily Anne Gedbaw said.
The Jack-O-Launcher event will be held on Nov. 11 at the Wilson Quad at 2 p.m. Even if you choose not to participate, be sure to swing by for the fun. For more information about entering the competition, contact dn009j@mail.rochester.edu.
