Case Study: Widener University teaches virtual chromatography labs with ACD/Labs Method Selection Suite

How one professor used our chromatography software to teach a virtual lab

Widener University, led by chemistry professor Dr. Scott van Bramer, faced the challenge of teaching students chromatography method development when the COVID-19 pandemic made hands-on lab time and access to expensive equipment impossible. The university needed a way to provide students with an effective, trial-and-error learning experience that could replicate the experimental process virtually.

ACD/Labs provided a solution with its ACD/Method Selection Suite software. Using the suite's chromatogram simulator, Professor van Bramer was able to run virtual labs where students could change a wide range of chromatographic parameters and see the results in seconds. This approach not only replaced the cancelled in-person labs but also delivered superior educational outcomes; students gained a deeper understanding of difficult concepts and were able to run more experiments than would ever be feasible in a physical lab. ACD/Labs' software provided a crucial educational tool that will continue to be used to supplement hands-on learning.

Widener University

Scott van Bramer

Professor and Chair of Chemistry