IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - June 2017 - 30

Pipelining
Attractive Programs for Women

Encouraging Kids

also pretty neat." Bell Labs had long
been inviting local students to learn
about science by touring their facilities, and, naturally, the spooky soundfree chamber was always an attractive
Hofmann sharing his experiences with the next generation
element, so Hofmann had a chance to
help the students learn in a fun, realworld environment.
This carried over into his being
invited to judge local science fairs
or demonstrate science activities
There are many early indicators of
at various events, and he found
a child's potential future engineerit was something he consistently
ing career, such as an interest in
enjoyed. These days, he travels
math or science, natural criticalto fairs with a homemade Van de
thinking and problem-solving abiliGraaff generator, not just teachties, or technology and video-game
ing kids about electricity but promastery, among others. But there
voking that sense of amazement
can also be an indicator even more
that comes with realizing electricbasic: a simple sense of wonder.
ity can be created from everyday
For Bob Hofmann, a now-retired
household items.
electrical engineer, everything
The generator has a motor on its
seemed to click into place around
baseboard and a sphere that sparks
the age of eight, when his grandwhen an electrical charge is driven
mother took him to Macy's in New
to it from the motor, accomplished
York City for Christmas shopping.
through a cylindrical column con"She took me to the toy departnecting the baseboard and sphere.
ment and said I could get anything
"I used an old sewing machine
I wanted, but I wasn't interested
motor as the motor for my generain toys," he recalls. "Instead, I
tor, because I happened to have
wanted Christmas lights. I was fasone in my junk box," says Hofmann.
cinated by the lights, bulbs, and
"The column is a piece of PVC
wires." Although he was too young
Bob Hofmann (center) volunteers his time during
E-Week in 2014.
pipe normally used in the drain
to understand the field of engineerof a sink, and the sphere at the top
ing, he knew what interested him
is two aluminum baking pans,
and eventually went on to take scione turned on top of the other. An old
started doing this years ago, during his
ence classes and then pursue both his
exercise belt runs between the motor
44-year career with Bell Laboratories.
bachelor's and master's degrees in elecand the sphere." Though, he acknowlAs an engineer responsible for an electrical engineering.
edges, "The sphere is really more flat
tromagnetic compatibility lab, he and
Hofmann now counts among his
than round."
his team conducted tests of radio waves
hobbies the encouragement of chilHofmann took the generator around
in a semi-anechoic chamber, a metaldren's interest in science, technology,
to local schools and area science events
lic chamber room that is reflection or
engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
to showcase its function and eventuecho free, both for sound waves and
at science fairs and events local to his
ally found he needed an assistant to pass
radio waves.
home outside Chicago, Illinois. He
around handouts while he conducted
"These rooms are pretty spooky
the demonstration. He began bringsince they're absolutely dead, soundDigital Object Identifier 10.1109/MWIE.2017.2675159
ing his granddaughter, Jenni, with him
wise," says Hofma nn. "But t hey're
Date of publication: 9 May 2017

IEEE women in engineering magazine

June 2017

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