“Making Science Education Exciting by Linking It to the Real World: A Designed Experiment Using Ford's Egg Cart Crash Demonstration”
April 11, 2006
A Presentation by Ellen Barnes

Ellen Barnes ran a designed experiment using an egg cart crash demonstration kit that Ford Motor
Company safety engineers take into middle and high school science classrooms. The demonstration setup
consists of an aluminum ramp with a crash "barrier" at the end. A car runs down the ramp, and uses an
egg as a surrogate for the sensors used in a crash test. Several different design options can be tested using
the set-up. There will be discussion of real world considerations in statistics, such as using surrogate data
and subjective data. The presentation is expected to be a smashing success!

Ellen Barnes is a Technical Expert at Ford Motor Company, with a specialty in statistical applications for
design and development of automobiles. She has an M.S. in Applied Statistics degree from Oakland
University (1992), a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University in New York (1976) and
a B.A. in Mathematics and Physics from Grinnell College in Grinnell Iowa (1975). Ms. Barnes has 18
years diverse statistical experience at Ford, and an additional 10 years engineering experience at other
companies. At Ford, she has worked in product development, quality office, truck operations, and in
assembly process development. Over the years, her statistical work has included most major systems in
the vehicle: chassis, body interior, body exterior, electrical and powertrain.