John P. Ranck 
Professor of Chemistry

Research interests: 

Structure of and interactions between small molecules.  Two recent student research theses on ab initio calculation of the interaction of oxygen and carbon dioxide with perfluorocarbons as blood substitutes.  

Computer Visualization in Chemical Education.  As director of the MoleCVUE Project, almost all my current professional activity is directed toward developing new molecular visualizations and creating instructional materials for their use in undergraduate instruction.  

Quantum Philosophy.  This is more an extra-curricular interest than a professional area of inquiry, but after teaching quantum theory for thirty-five years, I'm still trying to understand it. I've often lamented that I was not alive during the heroic days of the '20's, but things are becoming exciting again.

Recent Publications and Presentations: 

Ranck, J. P. "The MoleCVUE Project: Discovery Learning in the Molecular Laboratory," presented at the Gordon Research Conference New Developments in Visualization in Chemistry and Science Education, Oxford University, September 1998.

Ranck, J. P. "Visualizing Molecules and Chemical Reactions," in  Using Computers in Chemistry and Chemical Education, Zielinski, T. J.; Swift, M. L., Eds.; American Chemical Society, 1997. 

Ranck, J. P. "A Molecular Laboratory for Undergraduates: The MoleCVUE Project,"  210th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Chicago, IL, August 1995. 

Ranck, J. P. "Chemical Bonding without Quantum Mysteries," 13th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, Division of Chemical Education of the ACS, Bucknell University, 1994. 

Ranck, J. P., "The MoleCVUE Project," Symposium on Molecular Visualization at the 13th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, Division of Chemical Education of the ACS, Bucknell University, 1994. 

Ranck, J. P. "Visualization and Representation in Chemical Education" in Data Visualization in Molecular Science; Bowie, Jack E., Ed.; Addison-Wesley, 1994. 

Ranck, J. P. "Visualizing Chemical Reacitons," CHEMCONF '93: Applications of Technology in Teaching Chemistry, Summer, 1993, Paper #3

Student Theses Supervised:

Ghiorzi, Christopher M., "An ab initio Exploration of Regioselectivity of Substituted Aromatic Rings using Electron Density Models, " 1999.

Bock, Cindy L., "A New Outlook on Electron Density," 1998.

Eikenberry, David J., "A Theoretical Study of Perfluorocarbon-Oxygen Complexes using ab initio Calculations and Electrostatic Potential Surfaces," 1996.

Frost, Brian J., "ab initio Calculations of Symmetric Hydrogen Bonds in a Crystal," 1995.

Belsky, Alec, "Visualization of Chemical Reactions," 1994.

Steuber, Sarah J., "A Theoretical Investigation of Perfluorocarbon - Oxygen Complexes," 1992.

Bender, William J. H., "MOLCAD: Molecular Computer-Aided Design with Heats of Formation using Benson's Additivity Rules," 1987.

Foresman, James B., "A Theoretical Investigation of Perfluoromethane and Perfluoroethane Oxygen Complexes, 1986.

Affilitions: 

American Chemical Society (CHED and COMP Divisions) 
American Association of Physics Teachers 
American Association for the Advancement of Science 
Sigma Xi 
Mid-Atlantic Association of Liberal Arts Chemistry Teachers (MAALACT)