Joseph Lanzafame

Joseph Lanzafame Headshot

I primarily teach General Chemistry to non-chemistry majors and Writing Intensive Physical Chemistry labs for chemistry majors.

1. How do you use AI in your teaching, and what are your favorite resources?

It's so early in the game I try to play with all of them. Bing AI is the most accurate for what I do. Bard is also pretty good. I no longer use ChatGPT3.5, as it seems a little outdated now. I'm trying to use it for everything to see how it functions. In the classroom, I've asked students to use it to generate answers. I've also asked students to use it to evaluate answers. I've tried, with limited success, to get students to use it as a learning tool to explain concepts to them.

2. Can you share or describe an example or two of an AI-related assignment?

CHMG 141 General & Analytical Chemistry I - Introduction: I’ve been looking for an exercise we could do using AI as a teaching tool. I have decided on my (previously) infamous “imaginary universe” problem. On September 13th, I had a fascinating discussion with a ChatBot about this universe. The responses I got from one ChatBot were incredibly nuanced and on the mark. The responses I got from a different ChatBot were off the mark and a little odd. I also discovered that how I queried the ChatBot affected the answer. When I started by asking how electron configurations were determined and then asked it to change the rules, it insisted that I couldn’t change the rules because such a change had never been observed. On the other hand, when I just asked it to imagine a universe with a particular set of rules, it dove right in and speculated on the implications of the change. So, you may approach this in different ways, but I ask that you do two things in approaching this exercise:

  1. Use at least two different ChatBots. Use Bing AI as one of your two ChatBots, as it gives the best overall response.
  2. Try a couple of different queries and follow-ups with the ChatBots. Learning how to dialogue with the ChatBot is critical to getting useful information.

IF YOU CHOOSE TO SIMPLY GIVE ME THE ANSWER FROM THE CHATBOT, you may do so. However, PLEASE INDICATE THAT THE ANSWER CAME FROM THE CHATBOT. The ChatBots: The free ChatBots that I’ve used are

  1. ChatGPT3.5 (https://chat.openai.com/auth/login)
  2. BingAI in Precise Mode (You must use the Microsoft Edge browser. This is actually ChatGPT4.0)
  3. BingAI in Creative Mode (You must use the Microsoft Edge browser)
  4. Bard (bard.google.com)

If anyone has others that are free to access, please let me know. Pick any 2 of them for the first exercise.

f6ycInitial query. Ask your ChatBot the following question: “Imagine I were in a different universe. In this universe, the principal quantum number, orbital quantum number, and angular momentum quantum number are the same as in this universe. But instead of two spin states, there are three spin states (-1/2, 0, 1/2). How would the electron configuration of carbon change?” Then follow up and ask, "What would the first two noble gases be in this universe?” Take the response(s) you get from one and put it into the other with the following question: “Could you evaluate the following response for correctness? Note: You might have to include the original query with the response. The AIs tend to SOMETIMES repeat the query in the answer. But if they don’t, the 2nd AI won’t know what the query was. Generally speaking, the AIs struggle with the noble gas question. Here is your chance to probe them further. Ask them how they arrived at their answer. Question the assumptions behind their answer. Give them specific information that you think should define their answer. COPY AND PASTE YOUR DIALOGUE into your homework submission. You can use the AI or not to answer these “imaginary universe questions.” The Universe as we never knew it… OR How to make your own Periodic Table! The Periodic Table is arranged by chemical families: elements that share similar chemical reactions. The families are columns in the Periodic Table. All of Group I (Alkali metals) have similar chemical behaviors. The original Periodic Table was assembled based on observing those chemical behaviors. We now know that chemistry follows electron configuration. The Alkali metals all behave similarly because they all have only one electron in their valence shell, and that single electron is in an “s-orbital.” Electron configurations are determined by the allowed quantum numbers and the rules governing them. So, in fact, the Periodic Table is determined by the quantum numbers and the rules – we just didn’t know when the first Periodic Table was put together. These quantum numbers and rules simply determine the number of electron orbitals and the allowed occupancy of each orbital. Imagine a New Universe – let’s call it Joetopia – where there are different quantum numbers and different rules for the quantum numbers but the same elements. [Elements are defined by their proton number, and the quantum numbers don’t apply to the nuclei.] In Joetopia, it is discovered that the following quantum numbers exist: N=principal quantum number Q = orbital designation S = spin designation the allowed values for the quantum numbers are: N=1, 2, 3, 4… Q = 0, 1, 2, 3,…N+2 S = -1 and +1 Assume that the Pauli Exclusion Principle still applies (no two electrons can have the same set of THREE quantum numbers). Assume that ALL Q orbitals in N=1 fill before any N=2 orbitals and ALL N=2 orbitals fill before any N=3 orbitals, etc. Piece #1a (1 pt) How many elements are in the first row of the Joetopia Periodic Table? Piece #2a (1 pt) How many elements are in the second row of the Joetopia Periodic Table? Piece #3a (1pt) How many elements are in the third row of the Joetopia Periodic Table? Imagine a Third Universe – let’s call it Kanye’s Paradise – where there are different quantum numbers and different rules for the quantum numbers but the same elements. [Elements are defined by their proton number, and the quantum numbers don’t apply to the nuclei.] In Kanye’s Paradise, it is discovered that the following quantum numbers exist: N=principal quantum number, Q = orbital designation, S = spin designation. The allowed values for the quantum numbers are: N=1, 2, 3, 4… Q = 0, 1, 2, 3,…N S = -Q, -Q+1, -Q+2…0, 1, 2, …Q-1, Q (integers from –Q to + Q) Assume that the Pauli Exclusion Principle still applies (no two electrons can have the same set of THREE quantum numbers). Assume that ALL Q orbitals in N=1 fill before any N=2 orbitals and ALL N=2 orbitals fill before any N=3 orbitals, etc. Piece #1a (1 pt) How many elements are there in the first row of Kanye’s Paradise Periodic Table? Piece #2a (1 pt) How many elements are in the second row of Kanye’s Paradise Periodic Table?

 3. What do you tell students about using AI?

I tell them to use it for everything except exams. I tell them that current AIs make mistakes, and so they need to critically evaluate any answers they are given.

4. What challenges, if any, have you had with AI in your courses?
 
One of the biggest challenges has been getting students to be willing to use it. There is a surprising level of reticence among my General Chemistry students, most of whom are 1st years. I seem to have embraced it more than them. The second biggest challenge is that I'm little more than a novice. I have yet to fully discover the capabilities or limitations of current systems for the types of research questions that I encounter.

5. How do you think AI has or will impact your domain?
 
I think that AI will change EVERYTHING. I have never been more excited about an emerging technology. The generative AI tools that currently exist are language-based. As such, they are very good at language-based exercises. They are less skilled at quantitative exercises and visual or symbolic exercises. As such, there are aspects of chemistry where they are not yet completely useful tools. Chemistry does, however, have language-based or rule-based domains. Chemistry also requires communication, formally and informally. It is here where AI is already an incredibly powerful tool. It can be used for idea generation, proofreading, evaluation of responses according to a rubric, information research, and similar tasks. I believe future generations of AIs will serve as 24/7 teaching assistants, able to answer student questions and provide learning support. I envision a future where AIs are the primary instructors for some academic content.