At this time of year, some people like their pumpkins in lattes, and others like their pumpkins hurled out of catapults. First-year mechanical engineering students at KSU’s Marietta campus chose the latter this week as they geared up for the Sixth Annual Pumpkin Launch, which has become a right of passage for the new mechanical engineers as well as a spectacle not to be missed.
Teams of no more than eight students join together to design and build devices, be it a catapult, trebuchet or other contraption, that will hopefully propel their pumpkins to victory and even more importantly, an A. There is also a contest for the best decorated pumpkin, because hurling ugly pumpkins through the air of our esteemed campus would be a disgrace. There was even some speculation among event watchers this year that some of the pumpkins were really watermelons in disguise. However, no melon imposters were ever confirmed.
The competition got off to a slow start on Oct. 29, as festivities were delayed for an hour while the teams put the finishing touches on their pumpkin launchers. In the meantime, there were many attractions to keep the crowd occupied, including taking advantage of the concession stand and getting flu shots at the WellStar tent. One of the competing teams called The Leftovers explained that the contest is judged on the appearance of the catapult, how much money was invested and, of course, the distance the pumpkin travels. The Leftovers said that these three aspects are judged in correlation with each other. That means there are higher expectations for teams with $1000 contraptions than those that cost $20 to create. The Leftovers disclosed that they invested around $300 into their project.
Finally, around 3 p.m., participants started putting on their hardhats and safety goggles — it was time for the show. Camera phones were at the ready as the first round of catapults were brought to the front line. Each creation was fantastically decorated and team names proudly displayed. The first round of catapults featured such names as Swiss Cheese, To Infinity and Beyond and even Death from Above.
The competition went on for three hours, with some catapults going off without a hitch, sending their pumpkins flying far across the field, while other teams had a little more trouble. Throughout the contest, some of the catapults malfunctioned, hurling their pumpkins in the wrong direction, and others simply broke, leaving the creators to throw their pumpkins by hand. The end of the competition left the field covered with the remnants of broken trebuchets and pumpkin guts. However, no matter how their teams faired in the competition, all groups stayed in good spirits and laughed off any not-so-desirable outcomes.
Kennesaw State’s Marietta Campus has truly created the perfect hands-on experience for engineering majors. The process of building a catapult for this competition encompasses many, if not all, of the core concepts needed to become a successful mechanical engineer, and it does it in a fun and innovative way. Beyond that, this contest poses as a great way to bring the whole student body together for an exciting and unique event. Hopefully, this will remain a KSU tradition for years to come.
