Quantitative Measurement and Analysis Laboratory for Undergraduates

该项目正在开发一个用户友好的测量和分析实验室，具有极大的灵活性，以供马歇尔大学（一个以本科生为主的机构）的教师指导和本科生研究项目。在科学界，对结构和有机体之间以及它们之间的变化进行详细的定量分析越来越重要。随着新仪器和更强大的计算机和软件的发展，超越仅仅对变异进行定性描述的能力成为可能。这些新的形态测量技术已经在一些机构（例如杜克大学和纽约州立大学石溪分校）的研究生学习中开发出来，然而，这个项目的目标是第一次将杜克大学和纽约州立大学的实验室设施和练习用于本科教学。目前在我们的教学工作中缺少的是严谨地测量和分析科学标本的能力。我们无法将详细的结构测量和分析纳入我们的许多实验室练习和独立研究项目中。该项目通过获得各种测量设备来纠正这些情况，允许对可变尺寸的标本进行二维和三维分析。二维测量可以通过数字卡尺、数字化平板电脑、双目显微镜，或者通过视频摄像机捕获帧或我们最近购买的扫描电子和共聚焦显微镜获得的图像，并导入适当的软件系统。学生还可以使用3D数字化平板电脑进行三维测量，或者在需要更高精度时，使用激光数字化系统Surveyor 810或VoxBlast成像软件进行三维测量。此外，计算机设施允许图像分析、定量和统计评估、图形表示和幻灯片演示由学生进行。本科生在入门和高级实验练习中都会遇到这种技术。实验练习被纳入五门非专业课程和专业导论课程。此外，该实验室还被用于几门高年级课程，包括科学量化与分析的新课程。这台设备可供越来越多的从事科学研究的本科生使用。随着凯普斯通高级论文的要求，学生独立研究的机会必须扩大，测量/分析实验室为复杂的问题解决提供了宝贵的工具。

This project is developing a user-friendly measurement and analysis laboratory with tremendous flexibility for faculty instruction and undergraduate student research projects at Marshall University, a predominantly undergraduate institution. Increasingly important in the scientific community is detailed quantification of variation among and between structures and organisms. With the development of new instrumentation and more powerful computers and software, the ability to go beyond mere qualitative descriptions of variation is possible. These new morphometric techniques have been developed for graduate studies at a few institutions (e.g., Duke University and SUNY Stony Brook), however, the goal of this project is, for the first known time, to adapt the laboratory facilities and exercises from Duke and SUNY for undergraduate instruction. Currently missing from our instructional efforts is the ability to measure and analyze scientific specimens in a rigorous manner. We have been unable to incorporate detailed structural measurement and analyses into many of our laboratory exercises and independent study projects. This project rectifies these situations by obtaining various measurement devices, permitting both 2- and 3- dimensional analyses of variable-sized specimens. Two-dimensional measurement will be possible with digital calipers, digitizing tablets, binocular microscopes, or by images obtained from either video camera frame-grabbing or our recently purchased Scanning Electron and Confocal microscopes and imported into appropriate software systems. Students will also be able to make three-dimensional measurements with either 3D digitizing tablets, or when more precision is needed, the laser digitizing system Surveyor 810 or VoxBlast imaging software. Additionally, computer facilities permit image analysis, quantitative and statistical evaluation, graphic representation, and slide presentations to be conducted by the students. Undergraduates encounter this technology in both introductory and advanced laboratory exercises. Laboratory exercises are incorporated into five of the non-majors and majors introductory courses. In addition, the lab is used in several upper-division courses, including a new course in scientific quantification and analysis. This equipment is available to the ever-growing number of undergraduates involved in scientific research. With the Capstone senior thesis requirements, student opportunities for independent research must be expanded, and the measurement/analysis laboratory provides invaluable tools for sophisticated problem-solving.