Foundations of Engineering Class Participates in the “Marshmallow Challenge”

Students pair off to build a self-supporting tower in just 18 minutes, using only uncooked spaghetti, masking tape, and dental floss.

marshmallow challenge
First-year engineering students worked in teams to create the tallest tower possible that would support the weight of a marshmallow.

 

Students enrolled in the spring 2023 semester course ENG 1166: Foundations of Engineering recently participated in the “Marshmallow Challenge.” As part of this exercise in design, testing, teamwork, and time management, students pair off to build a self-supporting tower in just 18 minutes, using only uncooked spaghetti, masking tape, and dental floss. A marshmallow must be affixed at the top. Prizes are awarded to the team(s) with the highest stably mounted marshmallow, and separately for the most creative design(s).

“This was an in-class engineering design problem that required students to work in teams and come up with a few design iterations for the spaghetti tower,” explained Fayekah Assanah, assistant professor in residence of biomedical engineering, and one of the course instructors. 

ENGR 1166 consists of 400 first-year students from all engineering fields. Students are divided into two sections of 200 students in each lecture held inside the new Science 1 building’s active learning classroom. Donning a chef hat for fun, Bryan Huey, department head and professor of materials science and engineering, served as the competition’s judge. 

Additional photos of the event are below:

marshmallow challenge at uconn

marshmallow challenge at uconn

marshmallow challenge at uconn

marshmallow challenge at uconn

marshmallow challenge at uconn

marshmallow challenge at uconn

marshmallow challenge at uconn

marshmallow challenge at uconn

marshmallow challenge at uconn

marshmallow challenge at uconn

marshmallow challenge at uconn

 

marshmallow challenge at uconn

marshmallow challenge at uconn