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Department of Biochemical and Chemical Engineering

ChemSPARK wins at the Global Gallery

The picture shows Sophia Hamelbeck, Nils Kaufhold and Tobias Ortelt at the Global Gallery © AD​/​BCI
The research project ChemSPARK awarded at the Global Gallery 2026

On 6 May 2026, the fourth Global Gallery took place at the International Meeting Center (IBZ) of TU Dortmund University. Our Colleagues Sophia Hamelbeck and Nils Kaufhold presented their research project ChemSPARK. The audience voted ChemSPARK as the best international project and they were awarded with a price money. Congratulations!

ChemSPARK explores how cognitive mapping can enhance engineering education through immersive virtual reality. Cognitive maps are mental representations of our environment that enable flexible decision making and adaptation when conditions change – skills essential for future engineers facing complex processes. Funded by the Stiftung Innovation in der Hochschullehre and integrating international perspectives from Oxford, ChemSPARK applies these principles in VR to strengthen constructive alignment and innovative teaching strategies across subjects such as mathematics, fluid mechanics, and equipment design.
The project’s virtual plant represents a sustainable ammonia production and allows students to explore and understand dynamic interactions within an integrated system. To assess its educational impact, ChemSPARK is accompanied by systematic evaluations that examine how supporting the formation of cognitive maps influences learning outcomes and conceptual understanding. By embedding these insights into ongoing development, ChemSPARK contributes to more coherent engineering education and fosters adaptive thinking throughout the curriculum at TU Dortmund University.