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

该NSF MRI奖资助俄亥俄州卫斯理大学购买扫描透射式电子显微镜(STEM)系统。通过其捐赠的本科生研究计划，俄亥俄州卫斯理大学大力支持优秀的本科生科研和研究培训。来自植物学和微生物学、化学、地质学、物理和天文学、神经科学和动物学系的学生和教职员工使用STEM进行研究、研究培训、学生教育和向地区初中生和高中生推广。使用STEM系统的研究项目包括：努力了解真菌如何在不伤害蜜蜂、人类或蜂蜜的情况下感染和杀死蜜蜂；探索羽毛降解菌如何影响鸟类颜色和行为的演变；为描述寄生线虫的新物种的显微特征提供可视化；分析几个物种的凤尾藻的生殖器结构，因为它与繁殖行为有关；以及一系列其他课题。此外，STEM还被用于初中和高中的外展暑期项目，这些项目每年总共吸引690名学生来到俄亥俄州卫斯理。这些外展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，接触到许多年轻女性和来自其他代表性不足群体的学生。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职员工积极参加专业会议的方式广泛传播。

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.