GISSV High School students interested in chemistry and computer science went on a special field trip to Stanford University to join postgraduate Stefan Seritan for his presentation on Theoretical Chemistry.*
Our students took part in an experiment in which they put on VR glasses and tried to remove atoms within a molecule. The forces that hold the chemical compounds together play an important role and made the task more difficult. (This can be part of chemistry class at schools one day!)
After a Q&A with Prof. Dr. Todd Martinez and Stefan Seritan and a short lab tour, the students visited the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University showcasing 38,000 works of art spanning 5,000 years (including a collection of Rodin bronze sculptures).
*The Martinez Group as part of the Stanford Chemistry Department is researching "focused on developing the ability to design molecular systems with desired functions from first principles. By developing novel simulation methods, [they] are trying to bridge the gap between traditional molecular dynamics and quantum chemistry. Current research in the Martínez lab aims to make molecular modeling both predictive and routine."
~ https://mtzweb.stanford.edu/.../ab-initio-interactive...
See the video here to learn more.
photo credit: Elisabeth Andres