For their first big project at Johns Hopkins, mechanical engineering students are expected to get creative, collaborative—and competitive. Each fall, students enrolled in the Intro to MechE Design and CAD course put their design skills to the test in the annual rite of passage known as the MechE Freshmen Design Competition. This year’s battle took…

Heads turned and a few students stopped and stared as a farm tractor growled its way up the campus roadway behind Krieger Hall, then sputtered to a stop in front of Merrick Barn. “Um, now what?” asked driver Tatiana Pereira, laughing a little as she stepped on the clutch and tried unsuccessfully to turn over…