MRI: Acquisition of an Analytical Transmission Electron Microscope System for Multidisciplinary Research and Education at UNC Charlotte

这项主要研究仪器(MRI)奖的目标是在北卡罗来纳大学夏洛特分校(北卡罗来纳大学夏洛特分校)获得一种用于多学科研究和教学的透射电子显微镜(TEM)系统。瞬变电磁波将安置在北卡罗来纳大学夏洛特光电子和光通信中心。这一共享用户工具将影响来自北卡罗来纳大学夏洛特分校八个系和四个跨学科研究中心的23名研究人员。它还将作为大夏洛特地区和邻近机构的研究人员和学生的中心设施，包括约翰逊C.史密斯大学(JCSU)、本尼迪克特学院(BC)、温斯顿-塞勒姆州立大学(WSSU)和戴维森学院，与卡罗莱纳医学中心等生物医学工程系统中心有关联的学者，以及与夏洛特研究所有关联的工业合作伙伴。电子显微镜将加速和刺激研究工作，包括：(1)创造用于热电和太阳能转换的新型纳米结构材料；(2)创造用于结构应用的新的超细颗粒和纳米晶体金属；(3)了解地质力造成的环境变化，以创造更好的地球；(4)发现用于检测和降解环境污染物的新材料；(5)评估水生生物中纳米颗粒对环境的影响；(6)了解衰老的机制，以实现未来寿命的延长；(7)创造新的组织工程方法，以加强与骨科植入物的骨结合；以及(8)创造用于未来光刻应用的新型纳米复合材料。利用瞬变电磁技术获得的研究成果将对国家和地区更广泛的技术需求领域做出重大贡献，特别是在能源转换、环境可持续发展、生物技术、先进材料和光电子学领域。此外，电子显微镜将对2007年秋季启动的纳米科学新博士项目产生直接影响，该项目既是教育工具，也是研究工具。结合校园内的各种材料表征资源，TEM将通过以下方式为K-12、本科生和研究生(重点是来自传统上科学代表性较低的群体的学生)以及当地教师提供宝贵的培训和教育机会：(1)JCSU、WSSU、本尼迪克特学院(所有三个机构都是历史上的黑人学院和大学机构)和北卡罗来纳大学夏洛特分校之间的各种合作研究和教育项目；(2)为本科生(REU)项目提供的各种研究经验资源；(3)女工程师协会(SWE)分会；以及(4)Aspire！夏令营计划。

The objective of this Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award is to acquire a transmission electron microscope (TEM) System for multidisciplinary research and education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte). The TEM will be housed at the UNC Charlotte Center for Optoelectronics and Optical Communication. This shared-user instrument will impact 23 researchers from eight departments and four interdisciplinary research centers at UNC Charlotte. It will also serve as a central facility to researchers and students in the greater Charlotte region and neighboring institutions including Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU), Benedict College (BC), Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) and Davidson College, scholars affiliated with the Center for Biomedical Engineering Systems including the Carolina Medical Center, and industrial partners associated with the Charlotte Research Institute. The TEM will accelerate and stimulate research efforts encompassing (1) creation of new classes of nanostructured materials for thermoelectric and solar energy conversion; (2) creation of new ultrafine grained and nanocrystalline metals for structural applications; (3) understanding environmental change caused by geological forces to create a better planet; (4) discovery of novel materials for the detection and degradation of environmental pollutants; (5) assessment of nanoparticle risks in aquatic organisms for environmental concerns; (6) understanding the mechanism of aging to realize future life prolongation; (7) creation of new tissue engineering approaches to enhance bone integration with orthopedic implants; and (8) creation of novel nanocomposites for future lithography applications. Research results obtained using the TEM will provide significant contributions to the broader areas of national and regional technological needs, specifically in the fields of energy conversion, environmental sustainability, biotechnology, advanced materials, and optoelectronics. In addition, the TEM will have a direct impact on the new Ph.D. program in Nanoscale Science that was launched in Fall 2007 as both an educational and a research tool. Combined with various materials characterization resources on campus, the TEM will provide invaluable training and education opportunities to K-12, undergraduate and graduate students (with a focus on students from groups traditionally underrepresented in the sciences) as well as local area teachers through: (1) various collaborative research and educational projects between JCSU, WSSU, Benedict College (all three institutions are Historically Black College and University institutions) and UNC Charlotte; (2) a variety resources of Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs; (3) the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) chapter; and (4) the Aspire! Summer Nanocamp program.