Free molecular visualization software of truly excellent quality became capable of running "movie" scripts (RasMol) and web-based tutorials (Chime) during the past year. This makes it feasible for every student of the biological sciences at the high school level and beyond to produce colored, space filling, 3D images of biological macromolecules (DNA, RNA, proteins, etc.) on PC's/Macs, whenever they are studying them or have an interest. Faculty can now accompany lectures with attention-getting projections from the PC screen, showing scripted tutorials of real molecular structures, and students can later review them. Rotation of the structure effectively conveys 3D relationships without the need for stereo images or special glasses. Student and faculty responses to lectures accompanied by pilot scripts have been extremely positive, with immediate demand for scripts covering a wider range of topics. The goals of this project are to (1) hold 3-day workshops in the Northeast to prepare undergraduate faculty to use molecular visualization in their classes; (2) demonstrate "movie" scripts and web tutorials at large national meetings of biological scientists/educators; (3) develop a series of new tutorials on topics designed by faculty for use in large undergraduate classes; and (4) to make the resulting resources freely available through Internet web sites. Workshop participants will be given follow-up support, encouraged to share experiences and educational methods through an email listproc. Each participant will be required to mentor two additional faculty at their home institution in the use of educational molecular visualization.
