Faculty Collaboration Database

PLUMED Tutorials: A collaborative, community-driven learning ecosystem. J Chem Phys 2025 Mar 07;162(9)

Date

03/04/2025

Pubmed ID

40035582

Pubmed Central ID

PMC12317779

DOI

10.1063/5.0251501

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-86000483661 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   25 Citations

Abstract

In computational physics, chemistry, and biology, the implementation of new techniques in shared and open-source software lowers barriers to entry and promotes rapid scientific progress. However, effectively training new software users presents several challenges. Common methods like direct knowledge transfer and in-person workshops are limited in reach and comprehensiveness. Furthermore, while the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the benefits of online training, traditional online tutorials can quickly become outdated and may not cover all the software's functionalities. To address these issues, here we introduce "PLUMED Tutorials," a collaborative model for developing, sharing, and updating online tutorials. This initiative utilizes repository management and continuous integration to ensure compatibility with software updates. Moreover, the tutorials are interconnected to form a structured learning path and are enriched with automatic annotations to provide broader context. This paper illustrates the development, features, and advantages of PLUMED Tutorials, aiming to foster an open community for creating and sharing educational resources.

Author List

Tribello GA, Bonomi M, Bussi G, Camilloni C, Armstrong BI, Arsiccio A, Aureli S, Ballabio F, Bernetti M, Bonati L, Brookes SGH, Brotzakis ZF, Capelli R, Ceriotti M, Chan KT, Cossio P, Dasetty S, Donadio D, Ensing B, Ferguson AL, Fraux G, Gale JD, Gervasio FL, Giorgino T, Herringer NSM, Hocky GM, Hoff SE, Invernizzi M, Languin-Cattoën O, Leone V, Limongelli V, Lopez-Acevedo O, Marinelli F, Febrer Martinez P, Masetti M, Mehdi S, Michaelides A, Murtada MH, Parrinello M, Piaggi PM, Pietropaolo A, Pietrucci F, Pipolo S, Pritchard C, Raiteri P, Raniolo S, Rapetti D, Rizzi V, Rydzewski J, Salvalaglio M, Schran C, Seal A, Shayesteh Zadeh A, Silva TFD, Spiwok V, Stirnemann G, Sucerquia D, Tiwary P, Valsson O, Vendruscolo M, Voth GA, White AD, Wu J

Authors

Vanessa Leone PhD Assistant Professor in the Biophysics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Fabrizio Marinelli PhD Associate Professor in the Biophysics department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Humans
Learning
Software