A Modern X-Ray Laboratory for Undergraduate Instruction

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A principal aim of the upper-level geology curriculum at Hamilton College is to give students direct experience in acquisition and interpretation of geological data, including those obtained using modern instrumentation. Use of modern analytical equipment in the curriculum will ensure not only that students gain experience in acquiring, understanding, and interpreting quantitative data, but also that they will bring a more sophisticated perspective to their upper level courses, in which critical reading of primary literature is an important concern. The geology department will establish a modern X- ray laboratory in order to achieve these goals. This laboratory will consist of an integrated X-ray diffractometer and X-ray fluorescence spectrometer interfaced with a personal computer. Such a facility will give students the opportunity to perform sensitive mineralogical and geochemical analyses of geologic materials. This facility will be intimately integrated into the curriculum through laboratory exercises in Geochemistry, Igneous/Metamorphic Petrology, Sedimentary Geology, and Mineralogy courses. The college requires a senior project of all students, and availability of X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence instrumentation will significantly expand both the types of projects that students will be able to undertake and the quality of the results. The college will match the award with an equal amount of funds.