A Rube Goldberg machine, named for the cartoonist and engineer, is a complex contraption designed to complete a simple task through an unnecessarily complicated chain of reactions. Using the critical thinking skills needed to pursue a career in engineering, students worked in small groups to solve two small problems: throwing away a water bottle and shutting a laptop case. Creativity was equally important to functionality. Using their knowledge of the design cycle, they researched, imagined, planned, created, revised, and improved their designs until they were just right.