physics

J. Andrew McCammon

J. Andrew McCammon is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand J. Andrew McCammon rather than just read about it. In short: James Andrew McCammon (born 1947, Lafayette, Indiana, US) is an American physical chemist known for his application of principles and methods from theoretical and computational chemistry to biological systems. A professor at the University of California, San Diego, McCammon's research focuses on the theoretical aspects of biomolecular and cellular activity.

Key takeaways

J. Andrew McCammon belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect J. Andrew McCammon to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of J. Andrew McCammon from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

James Andrew McCammon (born 1947, Lafayette, Indiana, US) is an American physical chemist known for his application of principles and methods from theoretical and computational chemistry to biological systems. A professor at the University of California, San Diego, McCammon's research focuses on the theoretical aspects of biomolecular and cellular activity. In 2011 he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Prof. McCammon co-authored Dynamics of Proteins and Nucleic Acids (Cambridge University Press, 1987; ISBN 9780521356527), an important contribution to molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics, with Stephen Harvey, while the first published reports on molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics can be found as early as 1976, most likely even earlier.

Early life McCammon attended Pomona College, graduating in 1969.

Contributions "The Cray Research Information Technology Leadership Award for Breakthrough Computational Science, Dr. Andrew McCammon of the University of San Diego, for his pioneering use of supercomputing technology in analyzing chemical enzyme inhibitors to fight Alzheimers and other diseases." (Business Wire, June 6, 1995)

Awards Elected Member, National Academy of Sciences of the USA (2011) American Chemical Society (ACS) National Award for Computers in Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research (2008) Elected Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2006) UCSD SPPS Associated Students Teaching Award (2003) UC Chancellor's Associates Award for Research (2002) Appointed Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (2000–present) Joseph E. Mayer Chair of Theoretical Chemistry, UC San Diego (1995-) Smithsonian Award for Breakthrough Computational Science (1995) Cray Research Information Technology Leadership Award (1995) George Hitchings Award for Innovative Methods in Drug Design, Burroughs Wellcome Fund (1987–1992) Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (1982–87) NIH Research Career Development Award (1980–85)

References

External links HHMI profile of J. Andrew McCammon Archived 2013-02-08 at the Wayback Machine The McCammon research group at UCSD UCSD Chemistry faculty profile of J. Andrew McCammon

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with J. Andrew McCammon

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what J. Andrew McCammon claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to J. Andrew McCammon before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about J. Andrew McCammon ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of J. Andrew McCammon

In research: J. Andrew McCammon appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses J. Andrew McCammon in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: J. Andrew McCammon is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1947 births, American computational chemists, American physical chemists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for J. Andrew McCammon outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study J. Andrew McCammon in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what J. Andrew McCammon means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain J. Andrew McCammon out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is J. Andrew McCammon in simple terms?

Why does J. Andrew McCammon matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study J. Andrew McCammon?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on J. Andrew McCammon.