An ICP-MS simulation was developed to support the teaching of inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The app enables students to conduct the quantification of selenium in a nutritional supplement, monitor the uptake of metallodrugs by cells, and perform qualitative analysis of gunshot residue. The experiments teach a range of analytical…

Biochemistry is about structure and function, but it is also about data and this is where computers come in. From my time as a graduate student and post doc, whenever I encountered data I thought, "I can work this up by hand, but I think a computer could do a better job." Since that time, I have been working at the interface of…

An experiment for the undergraduate physical chemistry laboratory is described in which the Raman spectrum of liquid "para"-difluorobenzene is recorded and assigned. A density functional theory (DFT) calculation of the 30 normal modes of the molecule is undertaken using computational chemistry software. Students use group theory to…

Virtual reality (VR) simulator has emerged as a laparoscopic surgical skill training tool that needs validation using brain--behavior analysis. Therefore, brain network and skilled behavior relationship were evaluated using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) from seven experienced right-handed surgeons and six right-handed medical…

The Beer-Lambert law is a fundamental relationship in chemistry that helps connect macroscopic experimental observations (i.e., the amount of light exiting a solution sample) to a symbolic model composed of system-level parameters (e.g., concentration values). Despite the wide use of the Beer-Lambert law in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum…

Eleven different laboratory experiments were designed and executed throughout a semester to provide a meaningful research experience for 23 undergraduate biochemistry majors at UTSA. The topic of the semester was based on the idea of exploring new aspects to enhance our understanding of how the human body uses cytochrome P450 enzymes to metabolize…

A within-subjects experimental design examined differences in functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) assessment of prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation with two virtual reality (VR) drawing conditions (rote tracing and creative self-expression) with and without a fragrance stimulus. Participants were healthy adults and included 18 women, 6…

Many introductory astronomy courses include concepts related to basic stellar properties. In general, these are concepts that originate from the human perception of starlight. This observational aspect is not easy to incorporate in the classroom. We explore if these concepts could be developed using the built-in data in a planetarium software.…

Computational and atmospheric chemistry are two important branches of contemporary chemistry. With the present topical nature of climate change and global warming, it is more crucial than ever that students are aware of and exposed to atmospheric chemistry, with an emphasis on how modeling may aid in understanding how atmospherically relevant…

A new app, freely available for Windows computers, has been developed to simulate tuning of an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer, on the basis of optimization data collected using a sector-field instrument. The app allows students to adjust parameters, including the torch position, gas flows, radio-frequency power, and guard-electrode…

Computational approaches toward simulating chemical systems and evaluating experimental data has gathered great momentum in recent years. The onset of more powerful computers and advanced software has been instrumental to this end. This manuscript presents a hands-on activity which trains students in basic coding skills within the Matlab…

Using virtual reality (VR) in educational settings is becoming increasingly popular. The feasibility of replacing an instrumentation-based organic chemistry lab with a VR experience has been evaluated. A VR laboratory experience was designed to teach students how to use an infrared spectrometer and elucidate an unknown structure from the resulting…

Instructional videos have been prepared using Adobe Captivate software to create animated tutorials to capture instrument and molecular modeling software simulations and to allow for increased independent hands-on instrument use by students and faster training for instructors and teaching assistants. The videos are available on YouTube and can be…

Laboratories studying the anisotropic rotational diffusion of bromobenzene using nuclear spin relaxation and molecular dynamics simulations are described. For many undergraduates, visualizing molecular motion is challenging. Undergraduates rarely encounter laboratories that directly assess molecular motion, and so the concept remains an…

Literacy requires reading comprehension, and fostering reading skills is an essential prerequisite to and a synergistic enabler of the development of writing skills. Reading comprehension in the chemical sciences not only consists of the understanding of text but also includes the reading and processing of data tables, schemes, and graphs. Thus,…