Engine Week 2003 Springs Into Action On The UA Campus

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The passage of spring in Northwest Arkansas wouldn’t be complete without the beauty of flowering trees and the spectacle of engineering students-and an occasional faculty member-taped on a wall! It can all happen during Engine Week, a tradition that started at the University of Arkansas in 1909. The 2003 Engine Week events will kick-off at 1:45 p.m. Monday, April 7.

Engine Week is filled with events pitting engineering departments against each other. There will be fierce competitions in the old favorites: dropping eggs two stories, flying paper airplanes and tug-o-war. Teams will also compete in newer events such as a relay race where drivers maneuver remote controlled cars over a challenging course that winds through the UA campus.

No Engine Week would be complete without the lively "Stick 'Em Up" competition. Students must use all their engineering knowledge to literally tape a team member to the wall-24 inches off the floor. Teams have two minutes to use no more than one full roll of duct tape to accomplish the task. The last person still "standing," thanks to a creative tape job, is declared the winner. Last year’s champ was living wall art for more than 15 minutes.

Not all competitions are strictly for engineering students: A weeklong treasure hunt open to the campus community is also on tap. Participants will search for a special medallion hidden somewhere on campus. Clues to the medallion’s location will appear daily at http://comp.uark.edu/~ieee. The lucky hunter who returns the medallion to its rightful owners will receive a treasure-trove of money and prizes.

More than 15 fun events will be held at different venues throughout the week. For more information, please contact the engineering dean’s office at 575-3053.