MRI: Acquisition of a Multi-Collector Inductively-Coupled Mass Spectrometer

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). The multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICPMS) will be used to address cutting-edge questions related to solid earth, ocean, planetary, environmental, biological, medical and archeological sciences. The instrument is capable of analyzing precise isotope ratios not only on dissolved sample solutions, but also (when attached to a laser ablation system) allows in-situ analyses of almost any solid material with a spatial resolution of 10 microns (X-Y direction) and submicron depth-profiling resolution (using new excimer lasers). Such advanced capabilities in mass spectrometry are producing profound insights into a wide range of natural processes and the time scales over which they occur. The Brown MC-ICPMS will be the first instrument of its kind in the state of Rhode Island. The MC-ICPMS will serve a large science community and will function as a catalyst to foster inter-departmental and inter-institutional collaborations (Marine Biological Laboratories, University of Rhode Island, Roger Williams University and Bryant University) in research, education, and public outreach. The interdisciplinary environment at Brown University ensures that this new instrument will be applied to a broad array of scientific problems. Research efforts in isotope geochemistry are intimately linked with the education and training of the next generation of scientists. The MC-ICPMS instrument will provide our graduate and undergraduate students and those from other institutions access to state-of-the-art facilities and at the same time foster diversity among the ranks of future scientists. The Department of Geological Sciences and Brown University through the NSF GK-12, EPSCOR and Leadership Alliance Summer Research Early Identification Programs, are involved in a number of science education outreach programs that target under-served and under-represented groups in the community.