NCSI: Making the Computational Microscope Accessible to Blind Researchers

Status	Completed
Mentor Name	Jodi Hadden-Perilla
Mentor's XSEDE Affiliation	Research Allocation, Education Allocation
Mentor Has Been in XSEDE Community	4-5 years
Project Title	Making the Computational Microscope Accessible to Blind Researchers
Summary	Develop the computational tools necessary to enable a blind researcher to setup, run, and analyze molecular dynamics simulations of proteins, including scripts that improve accessibility of running calculations on national supercomputers through the interfaces of screen-readers and Braille displays. Develop strategies for visualization and conceptualization of protein structure and dynamics through data analysis and presentation techniques that do not depend on the sense of sight.
Job Description	The student will participate in a molecular dynamics simulation project aimed at the study of a protein system that is amenable to the tactile visualization and sonification strategies they have been developing as part of a computational toolkit that enables individuals who are blind to carry out research in the computational chemistry/biophysics field. The student will access XSEDE resources to employ widely-used molecular dynamics and molecular visualization software, and continue to identify barriers the supercomputers and software present for individuals who are blind, and continue to develop strategies to overcome these barriers using technology such as screen-readers, Braille displays, and electronic refreshable tactile graphics display devices. Based on the tools and strategies they develop, the student will not only complete an impactful scientific study of an important protein system as part of a multi-university collaboration, but also produce a toolkit aimed at making the computational microscope (i.e., all-atom MD simulations) fully accessible to the blind. Through their efforts, the student will be in a position to provide valuable feedback to XSEDE that will support inclusion of disabled researchers in the XSEDE user community in the future.
Computational Resources	The student will have access to XSEDE resources through our Research Allocation and Education Allocation targeted toward her project to perform molecular dynamics simulations and trajectory analysis. Access to the supercomputer is essential for identifying strategies that will improve accessibility of the resource for blind researchers.
Contribution to Community
Position Type	Apprentice
Training Plan	The student will learn to utilize supercomputers to carry out molecular dynamics simulations through hands-on training, working closely with a faculty mentor with over twelve years of experience in the field. The student will gain experience in coding and software development and work in tandem with an experimental collaborator. The student will also collaborate with local disability services to access tactile graphics machines and 3D printers to support their research. Every month, a remote meeting will be arranged with a member of the blind computational chemists community to provide additional learning opportunities and mentoring for the student. The student will present their work at the PEARC20 conference, with travel funding from an REU program at University of for students with disabilities.
Student Prerequisites/Conditions/Qualifications	Interest in computational chemistry, interest in STEM accessibility and inclusion, Braille literacy, working knowledge of assistive technology for the blind
Duration	Summer
Start Date	06/01/2020
End Date	08/31/2020