Planning Phase
Getting Started with SMART Teams
Your SMART Team registration gives you access to all four phases of the modeling program, plus the resources and staff guidance you need to lead a team. This page walks you through how to register and when to plan major milestones, so your students can design their model before they write their abstract and poster.
In the Planning Phase, you will decide as a team how to approach your project. Each phase will impact the next, as well as your final Capstone Experience. So, it is important to understand how the phases fit together and to determine the scope of your project before beginning.
Register Your Team
Your $750 registration fee* gives you instant access to:
- Access to all four SMART Team phases and supporting materials.
- Use of Jmol, molecule builder, and modeling resources for student exploration and design.
- Direct support from SMART Teams staff for phased model design, abstract drafting, and poster refinement.
- One full‑color 3D print of your team’s model, plus options for additional models for an additional fee^
*You can support more than one SMART Team at no additional cost, but if that team would also like an abstract, model, and poster review, please include "Additional Team" in your order.
^Check the SMART Team Registration page for details on additional model types and pricing.
Recommended Timelines
ASBMB Schedule
If your Team's goal is to present at the ASBMB Conference, take note of these important due dates and milestones.
The 2027 ASBMB Annual Meeting will take place April 3–6, 2027, at the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center in Boston, MA. SMART Teams present their Capstone Projects during the ASBMB undergraduate poster sessions (the date and time for 2027 is TBD).
*ASBMB Timeline & Details Coming Soon!
ASBMB Terms and Conditions
Until ASBMB specifies otherwise, we will only have 10 poster sessions available at ASBMB. These will be allocated based on the order of registration and on meeting the model-first milestone. Only 1 team/school is eligible.
3DMD has proposed several alternative poster session venues at ASBMB to accommodate more teams. When/if accepted, additional schools and teams will be invited to participate.
SMART Team Symposium Schedule
If your Team's goal is to present at the SMART Team Symposium, take note of these important due dates and milestones.
The 2027 SMART Team Symposium dates and location are TBD. If you're interested in hosting a future Symposium, email SMART@3dmoleculardesigns.com.
*Symposium Timeline & Details Coming Soon!
Did You Know?
The SMART team phases are designed to be flexible, working well for a wide variety of unique team situations.
- The program can be completed in a few weeks or over the course of an entire academic year
- The protein structure concepts explored can be relatively introductory or get into the minute details of cutting-edge research
- Teams can choose to work with a research mentor or use one of 3D Molecular Designs' molecular stories
Use this suggested timeline to plan your SMART Team year. Dates can flex to your school calendar, but keeping the model design at the mid‑point helps students build stronger abstracts and posters around their model.
| Timing | Phase |
| Weeks 1-4 | Phase 1 Select a molecular story or mentor; read and discuss the research paper; identify key structural questions. |
| Weeks 5-8 | Phase 2 Explore the protein in Jmol; define and submit your model design (displays, colors, features to highlight). |
| Weeks 9-12 | Phase 3 Draft abstract and poster using the finalized model as the outline for your structure‑function story. |
| Final 4-6 Weeks before the capstone event | Phase 4 Refine talking points, practice model‑centered presentations, and prepare for your capstone event |
Encourage your team to reach the “model design submitted” milestone by the middle of your schedule, so everything that follows can build around that core artifact.
Moving to the Next Phase
Once your team has determined the scope and plan for your project, move on to the Training Phase. Or, if you have decided to skip the Training Phase, move directly on to the Protein Story Phase.