On Saturday, February 8th, the Yale Physics department was buzzing with excitement as an army of tiny, whirring robots took over Sloane Physics Lab.
Local middle school students gathered for the year’s first Girls’ Science Investigations (GSI) outreach event—which is generally hosted three times a year by the Yale Physics department—in collaboration with the Yale Office of New Haven Affairs’ Pathways to Science program. This event was organized by Allison Culbert, the graduate student coordinator for GSI; Caitlin Hansen, lecturer in physics; and Rona Ramos, graduate student coordinator in physics.
The day began with students constructing wobbling tin can robots, followed by DIY drawing robots powered by small direct current (DC) motors. Using only household materials—such as paper cups, plates, straws, coffee stirrers, and erasers—they engineered unique robots that wobbled, spun, and sketched across tables.
“The best part was watching students troubleshoot when their robots didn’t work right away,” said Hansen. “They were so determined to figure out what went wrong and make adjustments.”
The event concluded with an interactive physics demonstration show, featuring demonstrations built by Paul Noel, instructional technician in physics and presented by Emily Pottebaum, graduate student in physics, and a member of Yale’s Wright Lab. The show explored the fundamental principles behind robotics, engaging students with hands-on physics concepts.
During the presentation, Ramos posed a fun question to the audience: “What’s the only planet inhabited entirely by robots?” After a moment of thought, the answer became clear to the audience: “Mars!”
See photos in our Flickr album.