Danny Rankin
Associate Teaching Professor and Associate Director of Undergrad Programs • Whaaat!? Lab • MATERIALS, GAMES, GRAPHIC DESIGN
ATLAS Institute
danny.rankin@colorado.edu

ATLS 201

Office Hours: In Person Tuesdays, 11-12:15, ATLS 201. Remote, by appointment:听

Danny Rankin is an instructor in the Creative Technology & Design program. Both the courses he teaches and his individual research reflect a diverse array of expertise, including graphic design, material fabrication, game design, hardware hacking, sustainable agriculture听and large-scale installation art.听

Rankin directs the ATLAS听Whaaat!? Lab, a space for experimental game and interaction design.听His cooperative card game听, which began in a听, later became one of the most popular card game Kickstarters of 2017.听Alongside Matt and Lisa Bethancourt, he is the co-creator of听, which won the 2017 IndieCade Media Choice award. In 2018, both games were selected for exhibition at the XOXO Festival.听听

Rankin also mentors in the ATLAS BTU Lab.听 He听holds a听Master of Science听from the ATLAS CTD program, and a听Bachelor of Arts听in environmental studies from CU Boulder.

ATLAS graduate program alumni听听

Projects

听

Member of the Blow Things Up (BTU) Lab听听

Member of the Whaaat!? Lab听听

In the news

whaaat festival logo on an old school television set
Whaaat!? Festival is a treasure box of experimental games

Oct. 29, 2024

Our Q&A with festival organizers explores the inspiration behind the event as they power up to welcome gamers to ATLAS for a day devoted to all things games.

Danny Rankin on Donuts, Design & Debate
Danny Rankin discusses logos and branding on Donuts, Design & Debate

Feb. 9, 2022

ATLAS Teaching Assistant Professor Danny Rankin discusses design, logo and branding on the Feb. 2 episode of Donuts, Design & Debate, a podcast about design from the creators of SketchUp Talk.

composite of images illustrating ctrl.alt.gdc winners
Four ATLAS teams selected for coveted GDC showcase

Jan. 19, 2022

Miniature cardboard arcades, ketchup and mustard bottle game controllers, physically mining for cryptocurrency and manic pizza, candy and gold stock trading over the phone: These are the concepts behind four games developed in CU Boulder's ATLAS Institute that have been selected to participate in alt.ctrl.GDC 2022, a coveted showcase of...

What event graphic
Whaaat!? Festival returns from virtual wilderness

Oct. 6, 2021

ATLAS Institute's Whaaat!? Festival has returned from the virtual wilderness! Back in-person in November, the fourth annual event promises an arcade and conference packed with phenomenal guest speakers, bizarre games and experimental interactions.

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