IMG_0165Last Friday I had the marvelous opportunity to spend the day on the island of Staten, at Snug Harbor, joining some great Macaulay student volunteers (and one ITF volunteer) at the 2009 Gadgetoff.  This was a real happening, with a walking mechanical spider, pulse-jet powered carousel, enormous trebuchet (launching pumpkins and flat-screen TVs) and much much more.  There were three separate theater sessions of presentations (each presentation only a few minutes long) demonstrating ideas and projects from the sublime (the hydraulophone) to the heroic (the most amazing prosthetic arms and hands I’ve ever seen) to the ridiculous (the no-pants subway ride).  Outside and inside there were loud explosions, intelligent robots, close-up magic, and remote-operated submarines.  I do have to say that out of the dozens of presentations, only two of the presenters were female.  That seemed unbalanced, and I wish that the organizers had made more of an effort to strive for balance.  Women innovators are out there–we can’t let it continue to appear that the “smartest tinkerers and thinkers” are only male.

The best thing was that Macaulay volunteers really made the day succeed.  Our students and our ITF played a critical role in making everything work, making the day exciting and educational and enjoyable for all.  Take a look at the photo gallery (and some videos!) from the day, and be sure to congratulate your classmates who took part.  And let’s see if we can get more volunteers, and some participants, in the future.  I’d love to see Macaulay students up there on the stage presenting, as the future of the future–inventing, creating, imagining.  That’s what you all do best!