The Annual Pinkie Lab Olympics
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Each summer, the Pinkerton Research Group wraps up the research season with one of our favorite lab traditions: The Annual Pinkie Lab Olympics.
This end-of-summer event is a friendly but highly competitive skills competition designed to showcase the techniques, precision, and teamwork that lab members have developed throughout the summer and during their time in the group.
The Pinkie Lab Olympics is open to all current group members as well as visiting students participating in summer research programs like UGSRP and ARISE. Participants are divided into two teams, which change every year and are carefully selected to balance experience levels and areas of expertise. The result is a competition that challenges everyone—from first-time researchers to senior lab members.
Events test a range of core laboratory skills, including precision handling, speed-based challenges, estimation tasks, and a mystery nanoparticle formulation challenge. The competition concludes with a final relay race in which each team must complete a sequence of laboratory tasks, with every member contributing, to determine the overall champion.
More than just a competition, The Annual Pinkie Lab Olympics celebrates the growth, collaboration, and camaraderie built over the course of the summer, and serves as a fun and memorable way to recognize the hard work of everyone in the lab.
Scroll down to see past years photos!
This end-of-summer event is a friendly but highly competitive skills competition designed to showcase the techniques, precision, and teamwork that lab members have developed throughout the summer and during their time in the group.
The Pinkie Lab Olympics is open to all current group members as well as visiting students participating in summer research programs like UGSRP and ARISE. Participants are divided into two teams, which change every year and are carefully selected to balance experience levels and areas of expertise. The result is a competition that challenges everyone—from first-time researchers to senior lab members.
Events test a range of core laboratory skills, including precision handling, speed-based challenges, estimation tasks, and a mystery nanoparticle formulation challenge. The competition concludes with a final relay race in which each team must complete a sequence of laboratory tasks, with every member contributing, to determine the overall champion.
More than just a competition, The Annual Pinkie Lab Olympics celebrates the growth, collaboration, and camaraderie built over the course of the summer, and serves as a fun and memorable way to recognize the hard work of everyone in the lab.
Scroll down to see past years photos!
Thank you to our sponsors for their generous donations!
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2026
"Team 1" Rachel, Will, Jon vs "Team 2" Alexia, Cedric, Evalia, Mushfiq
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Pinkie Lab Olympics Events
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2022-2025
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Winners2025
"The Olds" Amy Moreno, Rachel Pollard, Erica Burnham vs "The Youngs" Alexia Kaloudis, Steven Martinez, Zaq Ponce, Natalia Arrus 2024 "Graduate Students" Parker Lewis, Amy Moreno, Rachel Pollard, Erica Burnham, Alexia Kaloudis, Kiana Bahrami vs "The World" Vic Hempstead, Kayra Oguz, Steven Martinez, Zaq Ponce, Sue Li 2023 "Team A" Parker Lewis, Rachel Pollard, Amy Moreno, Erica Burnham, Kiana Bahrami vs "Team B" Nouha El Amri, Thomas Belinky, Vic Hempstead, Ashley Han, Dontrielle Anthony, Anabelle Gallo, Aisha Mowla 2022 "Grad Students" Parker Lewis, Amy Moreno, Rachel Pollard, Erica Burnham vs "UGSRP & ARISE" Jamilay Avila, Chidinma Ebere, Ashley Han, Vic Hempstead, Thomas Belinky |
