Research Laboratory Infrastructure Improvements in the Electrical Engineering and Physics Building at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This project involves renovation of the Electrical Engineering and Physics building at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (SDSM&T) in support of productive research activities under safe conditions. The improvements to the following systems are expected to exceed the current safety, environmental and operational requirements of research activities that are carried out at this building: a) ventilation system including humidity and temperature controls; b) cooling water to operate lasers and cryogenic equipment and c) fire safety and safety monitoring system. The improvements would directly contribute to the efficacy, productivity, quality and quantity of research and research training by enabling a transition to safer and more productive research laboratories. The following research activities will be enabled and/or enhanced by the improvements and renovation: a) development of advanced materials for next generation solar cells; b) fundamental studies in biophysical processes for the conversion of low cost biomass feedstock to fuels; c) development of low-cost printing of electrical circuits, microwave antennas, and grid lines for solar cells using nanomaterials; d) development of advanced spectroscopy methods, including Vibrational Sum Frequency Generation spectroscopy to study nanothermites; and e) theoretical and experimental studies of semiconductor and ferroelectric materials. In addition, the improvements are expected to contribute to the development, participation in and utilization of a number of large-scale physics experiments including high-energy cosmic ray and muon physics experiments associated with the IceCube project.The activity is expected to advance teaching, training and learning, as well as research activities of graduate and undergraduate students at SDSM&T. In addition, these facilities are used for many outreach activities including collaborative activities with neighboring American-Indian institutions of higher learning such as Sinte Gleska University on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation. The University maintains a permanent Native American outreach program, serving the nearly all Native Americans in South Dakota. In addition, these renovated research labs will be accessible directly to a wider research community. The rooms in the building also host undergraduate research experiences for SDSM&T and other students from outside the campus.