Bob Hirosky / Physics

My proposal to the Mead Endowment is to field a team to enter 2006 Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race. The Kinetic sculpture race is a paraphysical romp through the streets, waterways, mud pits, and sand traps of downtown Baltimore. Each year in early May, teams of artists, engineers, back-yards tinkerers, and avant-garde bicycle mechanics converge on the city of Baltimore with an array of human-powered amphibious vehicles in tow. The pilots (Kinetinauts), their pit crews, and passengers (Barnacles) peddle, paddle, push, and pull their sculptures, or simply cajole their team mates to achieve the height of mediocrity - a dead center finish - in the 15 mile long grueling trial that is the kinetic sculpture race. Noteworthy teams might also be honored with numerous awards including artistic merit, engineering savvy, unbounded optimism (the opposite of engineering savvy), best bribes for race officials, and most excellent on-board sock puppet. I envision a UVa team ( or perhaps a UVA-TEAM for fans of a certain 1980’s action series). We would build our UVA-TEAM of students from eager volunteers in arts (because we want to turn heads), science (because every ship needs a science officer!), engineering & architecture ( because we want to stay in one piece, float, and keep looking good ), medieval studies ( think “olde world contraptions”:..), --psychology - (no comment), or whatever kin of Alfred Jarry, Rube Goldberg, and the Dadaists may be found on the Grounds of UVa. I look forward to a spectacular showing in Baltimore this May!

Next year’s race will be held on Saturday, May 6, so we would have to plan carefully to avoid exam conflicts on that day. I include a recent flier from the event on the following page. For more information, you may refer to the official website for the kinetic sculpture race at: http://www.kineticbaltimore.com/