DCU Home | Our Courses | Loop | Registry | Library | Search DCU
<< Back to Module List

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

All Module information is indicative, and this portal is an interim interface pending the full upgrade of Coursebuilder and subsequent integration to the new DCU Student Information System (DCU Key).

As such, this is a point in time view of data which will be refreshed periodically. Some fields/data may not yet be available pending the completion of the full Coursebuilder upgrade and integration project. We will post status updates as they become available. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Date posted: September 2024

Module Title Practical Chemistry with Artificial Intelligence
Module Code CS320 (ITS) / CHM1031 (Banner)
Faculty Science & Health School Chemical Sciences
Module Co-ordinatorEmma Coyle
Module Teachers-
NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 10
Pre-requisite Not Available
Co-requisite Not Available
Compatibles Not Available
Incompatibles Not Available
Repeat the module
Description

In this module, students are introduced to the practical application of artificial intelligence in chemistry. This includes a blend of wet labs and virtual simulations in pharmaceutical and analytical chemistry, and use of commercial software packages for prediction of chemical properties. Students will revise and extend their understanding of calculus, in particular functions multiple variables, which underpin principals in machine learning.

Learning Outcomes

1. Gain practical hands-on experience operating analytical instrumentation and analysing samples using quantitative instrumental techniques [Learning outcome for wet labs]
2. Collect, process, visualise and interpret experimentally-generated and simulated quantitative and qualitative data [Learning outcome for wet and virtual labs]
3. Gain practical and management skills for industry-readiness
4. Prepare high quality scientific reports on quantitative and qualitative data
5. Use commercial artificial intelligence packages to investigate properties of molecules and materials, developing predictions for drug design or materials applications.
6. Perform basic operations on vectors, interpret and represent functions of more than one variable, calculate partial derivatives and gradients of functions of more than one variable, and find critical points and solve optimisation problems. Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to carry out these procedures and analyse the outcomes.
7. Communicate effectively in oral formats, adapting to audience profile as required (communicative competence).
8. Demonstrate collaborative communication in a team environment (teamwork and collaboration).



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Lecture12Mathematics minimodules delivered in a hybrid teaching model with asynchronous online sessions, supplemented by live tutorials
Assignment Completion13Preparation for formative in-class and summative end of semester assessments for mathematics minimodule
Workshop27Use of commercial software package to quantify and predict chemical properties, identify trends and to predict properties of drug-like modules or materials.
Group work15Group minichallenge using commercial software package to predict properties of drug-like molecules
Assignment Completion10Preparation of final presentation
Laboratory54Wet lab and virtual experiments in analytical and pharmaceutical chemistry
Directed learning24Students will be provided with recommended reading and multimedia resources (through Loop page)
Assignment Completion48Preparation of reports of findings from wet labs
Independent Study47Revision of past courses and how they relate to lecture materials for this module, identifying where concepts from this course are related to other modules, preparation for in-class test
Total Workload: 250

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Experiments performed in the Analytical part:
1. Spectroscopic Determination of Iron in Iron Tablets. 2. Comparison studies of analytical methods: Magnesium in pharmaceutical preparations by Atomic Absorption and Titrimetry. 3. Chromatography (HPLC or GC)

Experiments performed in the Pharmaceutical part:
1. Synthesis and analysis of the active pharmaceutical ingredient 2. Testing of raw materials used in the manufacture of the Panadol 500mg Tablets. 3. Isoxazoline syntheis (1,3-dipolar reaction)

Virtual laboratories
VL 1: HPLC VL2: Ion chromatography

Commercial software
Guided tutorials in 1. Chemical bonding 2. VSEPR Theory 3. HOMO-LUMO Energy Gap 4. SN2 reactions 5. Nucleophiles and Electrophiles 6. Stereoisomers 7. IR Spectroscopy 8. Diels-Alder reactions followed by a mini challenge in drug design

Mathematics micromodules
1. Review of vectors 2. Coordinate Geometry 3. Functions of more than one variable 4. Derivatives of functions of more than one variable 5. Critical points of functions of more than one variable 6. Distance functions/metrics

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment100% Examination Weight0%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Practical/skills evaluationActivities in the laboratory - evaluation of laboratory skill, safety, use of apparatus and other practical skills for evaluation25%As required
Laboratory PortfolioWrite up findings from labs in analytical and pharmaceutical chemistry 5% org 10% cert of analysis 10% VL 15% Analytical experiments40%As required
Practice assessment record Engagement with commercial software to investigate application of AI (black box approach)0%Every Week
PresentationStudents will prepare a summary of their chemistry with AI challenge, including discussion of their inputs and outputs, potential limitations to the software package used, and ways to overcome these challenges.25%Sem 1 End
Completion of online activityComplete formative H5P quizzes in mathematics micromodules0%Every Second Week
Written ExamEnd of term quiz on maths micromodules10%Sem 1 End
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories:
Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module.
Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 2
Indicative Reading List

  • DCU Chemical Sciences: 2023, Combined laboratory manual - AI3, Chemical Sciences, DCU, 1,
Other Resources

None

<< Back to Module List