Training STEM Educators on the Use of Virtual Reality for Teaching Biomolecular Visualization

This project aims to serve the national interest by expanding the use of virtual reality (VR) in biochemistry and molecular biology instruction for undergraduate chemistry and biology students. VR is a burgeoning field with promise in any area that involves three-dimensional (3D) object viewing. VR has been used in medicine to simulate surgical procedures, to provide virtual field experiences for geology and engineering students and practitioners, and to visualize molecular structure in drug design and development. Biochemistry and molecular biology, which are taught as part of undergraduate biology and chemistry curricula, also require an understanding of 3D shapes, for example through visualizing how enzymes interact with substrates to catalyze reactions or how signaling molecules bind to their receptors. The use of VR can help students understand the 3D nature of these molecular interactions. Adoption of VR in education has been limited despite strong interest in the field. This workshop plans to provide training to biochemistry and molecular biology instructors in the use of VR to visualize molecular structures. Once educators are trained to use this technology, they will be able to bring it back to their classrooms. Teaching VR skills to students can contribute to a more highly skilled and competitive workforce. The four-part workshop will be conducted in parallel with the 2023 American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Transforming Undergraduate Education in the Molecular Life Sciences conference. The workshop goals are to provide instruction in contemporary VR hardware and software to visualize macromolecules, to advance knowledge about the implementation of VR in life science classrooms, and to develop a community of practice for instructors interested in using VR in their classrooms. Workshop participants will be recruited from primarily undergraduate institutions, community colleges, minority-serving institutions, and research-intensive universities. Project evaluation will center on faculty perceptions, experience, and attitudes toward VR, along with follow-up evaluation to gauge the extent of VR integration into biochemistry and molecular biology classes. The NSF IUSE: EDU Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.