MRI: Acquisition of a Libra 120 transmission electron microscope for research enhancement at Skidmore College

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The Skidmore Microscopy Imaging Center (SMIC), an institution-wide technology center, serves multiple research, teaching and outreach initiatives across the Sciences at Skidmore College. This project provides funding for the purchase of a new transmission electron microscope (TEM) for SMIC. The new instrument, a Zeiss Libra 120 TEM, provides enhanced resolution/contrast through its energy filter system, 3-dimensional analysis through its electron tomography capabilities, elemental analysis via EELS and rapid digital image capture and analysis. This instrument enhances research opportunities for Skidmore College faculty and students, expands teaching and outreach opportunities, establishes a new collaborative network with Albany Medical College, and builds upon a collaborative infrastructure with other consortium institutions within the greater Capital District of New York. This instrument also provides significantly enhanced research opportunities for undergraduates in such areas as plant biology, protistology, microbiology, animal developmental biology and neuroscience as well paleogeology and physics. This project also supplements national and international collaborations already established by the researchers and establishes new and dynamic links between an undergraduate institution, the regional medical college and other partnering entities in the Capital District of New York. This instrumentation provides our S3M students (NSF S-STEM Program) with critical training on state-of-the-art technology as well as facilitates research competitiveness and opportunities for advanced training under Skidmore's recently funded NSF ADVANCE Grant. The project also enhances outreach activities, many of which are focused on educational enhancement at the K-12 levels in economically disadvantaged schools in Albany, New York and the Upper Hudson River region. Research supported by this instrument and derivative teaching materials are made available to the public via numerous faculty-student presentations at regional and national meetings and publications as well as the Skidmore College "SMIC" website.