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

该NSF MRI奖资助在俄亥俄卫斯理大学购置扫描透射电子显微镜（STEM）系统。通过其得天独厚的本科生研究项目，俄亥俄卫斯理大学大力支持卓越的本科生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、神经科学和动物学等部门的学生和教师使用STEM进行研究、研究培训、学生教育以及向该地区的中学生和高中生提供服务。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蜂螨；探索羽毛降解细菌如何影响鸟类颜色和行为的进化；描述寄生线虫新种的显微特征可视化几种竹属植物性腺结构与生殖行为的关系分析以及其他一系列的话题。此外，STEM还用于初中和高中的暑期拓展项目，这些项目每年总共吸引690名学生来到俄亥俄卫斯理大学。外展项目向学生推广科学，包括来自俄亥俄州中部经济萧条地区的学生，涉及许多年轻女性和其他代表性不足群体的学生。研究和教学工作的成果将通过摘要和同行评议的出版物以及学生和教员积极参加专业会议而广泛传播。

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.