Walla Walla University’s American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) club sponsored their 41st Egg Drop on February 24. The Egg Drop challenged students to design a device that would protect a large Grade-A chicken egg from breaking when dropped from the roof of Kretchmar Hall. 

The competition was open to WWU engineering students, 5th graders from Davis Elementary School, 7th graders from Rogers Adventist School, and high schoolers from Walla Walla Valley Academy. 

Points were awarded if the egg did not break, distance in feet from a frying pan target, and design quality of the device. Three professors of WWU judged the quality of the devices based on reliability, engineering principles, aesthetics, and creativity. If the egg did break, it was automatically in the running for the Humpty Dumpty award, an award given to the most spectacular fail.

The first hour of the event saw the high schoolers competing against the WWU engineering students. One of the high schooler groups beat out the college groups and took first place. Second and third went to a college and high school group respectively. During the second and final hour, the 5th graders and 7th graders had their chance to go head to head. 

Samantha Griggs, senior mechanical engineering major and president of the ASME club, noted that the older groups’ eggs tended to break more, but they were closer to the frying pan. Conversely, the younger groups’ devices protected their eggs better, but they were further from the frying pan. One of her favorite egg devices was a jar full of peanut butter. 

Griggs says, “I was really happy with how this event went. I’m really proud of the people who helped out and the volunteers. It was a learning experience for all of us.” The annual competition is open to anyone who wants to participate.

Posted on May 13, 2022