Prof. Daniel Burkey, Ph.D., M.A.Ed. has been selected as one of the winners of the prestigious David Himmelblau Award for Innovations in Computer-Based Chemical Engineering Education, sponsored by the Computing and Systems Technology Division (CAST) of AIChE.

Together with colleagues Cheryl Bodnar (Rowan University), Daniel Anastasio (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology) and Matt Cooper (NC State University), Burkey is being recognized for his contributions to Contents Under Pressure, a digital immersive game that allows students to take on the role of a supervisor at a chemical production facility.

Contents Under Pressure gives students the opportunity to make decisions in a chemical plant that affect things like safety, productivity, and their own reputation and standing with their colleagues at the plant. The ultimate goal of the game is to get students to recognize the complexity of process safety judgements under realistic, real-world constraints and hopefully help them make better decisions as practicing engineers.

Contents Under Pressure was developed by the research team with funding from the National Science Foundation and in collaboration with educational games designer Filament Games. In addition to the Himmelblau award in 2023, Contents Under Pressure was also recognized at the 2022 International Serious Play Awards as a Silver Medalist.

Burkey and the rest of the team will accept the award at the CAST Division Dinner, to be held at the AIChE Annual Meeting in Orlando in November.

In addition to the 2023 Himmelblau Award, Prof. Burkey is also the recipient of the 2021 Corcoran Award from the Chemical Engineering Division of ASEE and the 2020 Award for Innovation in Chemical Engineering Education from the AICHE Education Division. He currently serves as the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education in the School of Engineering, and is a 2020 Inductee into the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering and a 2019 University Teaching Fellow.