What is the Rube Goldberg Machine Contest?
Our competition brings the idea of Rube Goldberg’s cartoons to life. Teams of engineering students are challenged to design and build complicated machines that use at least 20 steps to accomplish the national task. Designed to combine engineering problem solving with the unlimited potential of creative thought, the contest is not only great fun, but a great learning experience for tomorrow’s engineers. The national task is usually announced in the fall, although it has sometimes been announced earlier. Teams spend months designing, building and testing their machines before the local competition during Engineers Week in February. The machines are evaluated by a distinguished judging panel comprised of UT faculty and staff as well as corporate representatives.
