Beykal, Burcu

Assistant Professor

Postdoc, Data Analytics/Optimization, Texas A&M University (2021)
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University (2020)
M.S., Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University (2014)
B.S., Chemical & Biological Engineering, Koc University (2013)

Current Research

  • Process Systems Engineering
  • Machine Learning/AI
  • Data-driven Optimization
  • Supply Chain Optimization
  • Energy Systems Design
  • Data-driven Modeling of Environmental & Biological Systems
  • TEA/LCA

Professional Activities

Member: American Institute of Chemical Engineers
Member: Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences

Awards & Honors

2023 ACS Petroleum Research Fund Doctoral New Investigator Award
2020 AIChE CAST Directors’ Award
2020 Outstanding Graduate Student Award, Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University
2019 MIT Rising Stars in Chemical Engineering

Student Awards

  • Hasan Nikkhah, 1st Place Poster Award, 2024 Foundations of Computer Aided Process Design (FOCAPD) Conference
  • Hasan Nikkhah, 2024 Research Excellence Award, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut
  • Amir Shahbazi, 2024 Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut
  • Benjamin G. Cohen, 3rd Place Presentation Award, 2024 University of Connecticut Center for Clean Energy Engineering Graduate Research Summit on Sustainability
  • Hasan Nikkhah, Honorable Mention, 2024 University of Connecticut Center for Clean Energy Engineering Graduate Research Summit on Sustainability 
  • Hasan Nikkhah & Dev Barochia, 2023 Eversource Energy Clean Energy & Sustainability Innovation Program Finalists
  • Hasan Nikkhah, 2023 Teaching Fellow, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut
  • Hasan Nikkhah, 2023 Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut
  • Benjamin G. Cohen, 1st Place Poster Award, 9th Annual School of Engineering Poster Competition, University of Connecticut
  • Zahir Aghayev, 2022 Predoctoral Travel Award, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut
  • Zahir Aghayev, 2022 Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut
  • Benjamin G. Cohen, 3rd Place Poster Award, University of Connecticut Center for Clean Energy Engineering Symposium
  • Benjamin G. Cohen, 2022 Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut 
  • Hasan Nikkhah, 2022 Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut 

        Selected Publications

        1. H Nikkhah, Z Aghayev, A Shahbazi, VM Charitopoulos, S Avraamidou, B Beykal. Bi-level data-driven enterprise-wide optimization with mixed-integer nonlinear scheduling problems, Digital Chemical Engineering, 2025, 100218.
        2. H Nikkhah, A Di Maria, G Granata, B Beykal. Sustainable process design for lithium recovery from geothermal brines using chemical precipitation, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2025, 212, 107980.
        3. H Nikkhah, D Ipekci, W Xiang, Z Stoll, P Xu, B Li, JR McCutcheon, B Beykal. Challenges and opportunities of recovering lithium from seawater, produced water, geothermal brines, and salt lakes using conventional and emerging technologies, Chemical Engineering Journal, 2024, 498, 155349.
        4. BG Cohen, B Beykal, GM Bollas. Physics-informed genetic programming for discovery of partial differential equations from scarce and noisy data, Journal of Computational Physics, 2024, 514, 113261.
        5. H Nikkhah, B Beykal, MD Stuber. Comparative life cycle assessment of single-use cardiopulmonary bypass devices. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2023, 425, 138815.
        6. Z Aghayev, AT Szafran, A Tran, HS Ganesh, F Stossi, L Zhou, MA Mancini, EN Pistikopoulos, B Beykal. Machine Learning Methods for Endocrine Disrupting Potential Identification Based on Single-Cell Data. Chemical Engineering Science, 2023, 119086.
        7. H Nikkhah, B Beykal. Process Design and Technoeconomic Analysis for Zero Liquid Discharge Desalination via LiBr Absorption Chiller Integrated HDH-MEE-MVR System, Desalination, 2023, 116643.
        Email beykal@uconn.edu
        Phone (860) 486-2756
        Office Location PWEB-282
        Link https://beykal.engr.uconn.edu/