GHZ Laboratory

 

 

At the GHZ Lab, outreach means giving students opportunities to investigate molecular science for themselves. Molecular motions and fluctuations are our passion, but our understanding of this invisible world is often limited by what we can imagine. Computational tools expand those boundaries: students can visualize molecular structures in three dimensions, generate their own simulation trajectories, and see how molecular interactions shape the materials and biological systems around us. Through hands-on academies, partner programs, and mentored research experiences, we help students use computation to ask questions, test ideas, and communicate what they discover.

 

 

The Molecular Engineering Academy is the GHZ Lab’s flagship outreach program. Founded and developed by Professor Gül Zerze, the Academy introduces high-school students to molecular engineering through hands-on computational activities that connect fundamental science with real-world problems.

 

Students explore diffusion, hydrophobicity and molecular mixing, polymer collapse, and molecular binding through a combination of accessible scientific lectures and guided simulation activities. Each topic culminates in a challenge project in which students apply what they have learned to investigate a new question. On the final day, students present their findings during a Discovery Showcase, gaining experience not only in scientific problem-solving but also in explaining and defending their conclusions.

 

The Academy uses a two-part train-the-trainer model. During the first week, undergraduate students and high-school teachers learn the scientific concepts, computational tools, and instructional activities. They then serve as mentors during the high-school program. This model creates a broader community of learners and educators while allowing undergraduate students and teachers to take active roles in expanding access to computational molecular science.

 

 

The GHZ Lab also contributes to educational programs on campus that introduce students to biotechnology, drug discovery, coding, and computational science.

 

 

Since 2024, Professor Zerze and members of the GHZ Lab have contributed to the Biotechnology Academy’s Drug Design and Discovery summer program. Students are introduced to the fundamentals of biochemistry, molecular structure, and molecular motion before participating in a hands-on molecular-visualization workshop.

 

By examining three-dimensional structures of proteins and other biomolecules, students learn how molecular shape, motion, and interactions influence biological function and drug binding. Graduate researchers from the GHZ Lab participate as instructors and mentors, allowing students to interact directly with scientists working on contemporary problems in molecular modeling and drug discovery.

 

 

Through the Girls Coding Academy, we help students connect coding with scientific problem-solving. The program presents computation as more than a technical skill: it is a creative tool for exploring questions, testing ideas, and making discoveries.

 

Our participation emphasizes how coding and data-driven thinking can be applied to problems in molecular science and engineering. By introducing these connections early, we hope to help students envision themselves using computation in many different scientific and technological careers.

 

 

 

Short-term programs can spark scientific curiosity; sustained research experiences allow students to develop that curiosity into independence. The GHZ Lab hosts high-school students for summer and year-round research projects, including students participating through the American Chemical Society’s Project SEED program.

 

High-school researchers work alongside undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers. They gain experience with computational modeling, data analysis, scientific literature, research presentations, and the collaborative process through which scientific questions are refined and answered.

 

A recent highlight was the work of GHZ Lab high-school researchers Manashwin Nelluri and Manas Tellikepalli, who received a fourth-place award in Computational Biology at the 2026 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair. Their accomplishment demonstrates what young researchers can achieve when they are given access to rigorous scientific questions, sustained mentorship, and the tools needed to pursue their own ideas.

 

 

Our educational mission also includes helping developing scientists communicate their work and participate confidently in the scientific community. Professor Zerze has organized and contributed to workshops for early-career researchers on scientific writing, molecular structure, biochemistry, and professional development. She also speaks in public event organized by graduate students for graduate students about building scientific credibility. 

 

Across these activities, our goal is to create a continuous pathway—from a student’s first encounter with molecular simulation to participation in authentic research and, ultimately, membership in the scientific community.