Industrial alumnus returns for Solar Oven Throw Down 2024
(From left) First-year students Grace Cornelius, Karam Alshammari, Danniella Martinez and Cameryn Black from Team Animal Crackers use recyclable materials to cook biscuits at the University of Arizona Mall.
Without a cloud in sight, the sun heated the University of Arizona Mall to a high of 94 degrees Fahrenheit. A group of 711 U of A students filled the lawn and took advantage of the beautiful day for a friendly competition to determine who could build the hottest solar oven out of recyclable materials.
At the Solar Oven Throw Down on Oct. 15, first-year students in the Engineering 102 course applied foundational engineering and mathematical principles to amplify the Arizona heat with cardboard and aluminum foil designs.
Salpointe Catholic High School teacher Cecelia Gossler leads Engineering 102 High School, in which students at participating schools can take the U of A’s introductory course and earn college credit. At SOTD this year, 26 of her students joined the competition.
The skills required for the event will be put to good use, said Gossler, a U of A industrial engineering alum with bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Her students will also take part in EPICS – Engineering Projects and Community Service – by picking a community group and solving a problem related to that organization’s mission.
“They can use everything that they've learned here and at the Solar Track Meet to actually help somebody,” Gossler said.