Wobble Off: The Perfect Intro for GFU Engineering Students
Reported By: Sam Erickson
Photographed By: Kelly North
First-year George Fox University (GFU) Engineering students have a lot going on. Moving into dorms, meeting potential friends, and the engine. “Engine” is, of course, the vernacular for the oscillating air engine that first-year engineering students make during their first semester. The project is extensive and culminates in the “Wobble Off,” the end-of-the-semester event for the freshman students to showcase their engines.
While it’s a competition, Tamara Wystma, the director of outreach, engagement, and innovation for the Industrial Enterprise, was quick to point out that each student has something to be proud of.
“Just going through the process of designing and building an air engine takes the students on a personal and educational journey that gives them the grit and the confidence they will need to get through the engineering program,” said Wytsma.
The event has many categories, including Engine of the Year, All League Engines (which are engines that excelled in certain categories) and a leaderboard for a plethora of criteria which included cost efficiency, max cost, air efficiency, and others. The awards were presented at an event in which all the students were given the opportunity to show their engines in action, choosing some events for their engines to specialize in.
The engine of the year winner, Dane Ziegler, highlights exactly what the department was hoping for in the Wobble Off. In a text message, Ziegler noted that winning the award validated all the hours he put into the project.
“To me, it meant that I could have confidence that if I put my all into a project at this school, it would pay off, which made me very excited about my choice to go here,” said Ziegler.
Ziegler put in around 116 hours of work on the engine, which he aptly named the iWobbler 3G.
“I tried to go for the ‘refined’ look that iPhones have. Keyword there is ‘tried’.”
The engine placed third in max coast, coasting for 287 seconds and, in spite of Ziegler’s dissatisfaction, did look refined. Ziegler’s work ethic and enthusiasm about the engine, even with all the man-hours it requires, is a common theme heard from many of the award-winning students. This shows how effective the Wobble Off as a welcome ceremony for engineering students.
Other notable engines came from Thomas Underhill, Evan Bruins, Mikayla Stephenson, Brady Drew, and Tyler Colvin, whose engines all made All-League. There isn’t enough room to show many other engines that earned a top-five placement in individual categories, but perhaps the best way to sum up the event is with Ziegler’s description of the spirit of the event:
“The spirit was definitely characterized by all the students helping each other out to get as many engines working as possible. Seeing that was very heartwarming,” said Ziegler.