MRI: Acquisition of a Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope, Energy Dispersive Spectrometer and Cryotransfer System for an Interdisciplinary Teaching and Research Laboratory

该NSF MRI奖为俄亥俄州卫斯理大学的扫描透射电子显微镜（STEM）系统的收购提供资金。 通过其赋予的本科研究计划，俄亥俄州卫斯理学院大力支持卓越的本科科学研究和研究培训。来自植物学和微生物学，化学，地质学，物理学和天文学，神经科学和动物学系的学生和教师使用STEM进行研究，研究培训，学生教育和推广到地区初中和高中学生。 使用STEM系统的研究项目包括：努力了解真菌如何感染和杀死蜂螨而不伤害蜜蜂，人类或蜂蜜;探索羽毛降解细菌如何影响鸟类颜色和行为的进化;描述寄生线虫新物种的显微特征可视化;分析几种Poecilia中与生殖行为有关的生殖器结构;以及其他一系列的话题。此外，STEM还用于初中和高中的暑期推广项目，每年吸引690名学生到俄亥俄州卫斯理大学。这些推广项目向学生推广科学，包括来自俄亥俄州中部经济不景气地区的学生，接触到许多年轻妇女和其他代表性不足的群体的学生。 研究和教学工作的结果将通过摘要和同行评议的出版物，以及学生和教师在专业会议的积极参与广泛传播。

This NSF MRI Award funds the acquisition of a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) system at Ohio Wesleyan University. Through its endowed undergraduate research program, Ohio Wesleyan strongly supports excellence in undergraduate scientific research and research training. Students and faculty from the Departments of Botany and Microbiology, Chemistry, Geology, Physics and Astronomy, Neuroscience, and Zoology use the STEM in research, research training, student education, and outreach to area middle and high school students. Among the research projects using the STEM system are: efforts to understand how fungi can infect and kill bee mites without harming bees, humans, or honey; explorations of how feather-degrading bacteria affect the evolution of color and behavior in birds; visualization of microscopic features for descriptions of new species of parasitic nematodes; analysis of gonopodial structure in several species of Poecilia as it relates to reproductive behavior; and a range of other topics. In addition, the STEM is used in middle- and high school outreach summer programs that collectively attract 690 students annually to Ohio Wesleyan. The outreach programs promote science to students, including those from economically depressed areas of Central Ohio, reaching many young women and students from other under-represented groups. The results of the research and teaching efforts will be broadly disseminated through abstracts and peer reviewed publications, as well as by active participation of students and faculty at professional meetings.