The University of Iowa’s AIChE chapter secured the ChemE Jeopardy championship at the 2024 AIChE Annual Student Conference (ASC) in San Diego, CA, marking their second consecutive victory in this prestigious competition and sixth overall. The AIChE ASC is a four-day event where chemical engineering students from over 200 schools gather for career information, social events, competitions, and networking with industry professionals.

Iowa started the jeopardy competition with a bye and faced Auburn and UC Berkeley in the semi-finals, securing their finals spot with a score of 9700. In the finals against the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Iowa trailed behind early on but made an outstanding comeback, winning with a final score of 10,300.

“This was the most exciting finals in the 14 years of the competition and the most unlikely win for the Iowa team,” said Professor David W. Murhammer, AIChE faculty advisor for over 30 years.

In addition to the team’s success, the University of Iowa’s AIChE chapter was honored with the Outstanding Student Chapter award for the 20th consecutive year. Furthermore, the chapter’s president, Liam Horan, received the prestigious Donald F. & Mildred Topp Othmer Scholarship Award, recognizing academic excellence and chapter involvement.

The University of Iowa’s achievements at the AIChE Annual Student Conference highlight their commitment to excellence and their prowess in chemical engineering education and competition.