Early Career: Instrumentation and technical support for opening new frontiers in energy and environment research

这项早期职业补助金支持西弗吉尼亚大学（WVU）地质和地理系新稳定同位素实验室购买GC-Isolink和两年的专门技术人员支持。该仪器增加了对碳氢化合物和溶解天然气等单个化合物进行同位素分析的新功能。仪器将通过安装在同位素实验室中的Conflo IV装置的低流量出口连接到Delta V Advantage同位素比质谱仪。该奖项将帮助西弗吉尼亚大学同位素设施成为推进地球科学研究和培训的核心中心，主要关注NSF的能源和环境主题。科学，工程和可持续发展教育（SEES）计划。PI的两个领域？的研究计划，将特别受益于这项赠款，包括1）地球化学控制黑色页岩沉积和环境问题与页岩气开采，2）气-液-岩相互作用，在二氧化碳封存和增强地热系统。的能力，以利用和实现区域大学联盟（RUA）的目标，由能源部和国家能源技术实验室开发，以解决新兴的能源和环境问题。新仪器的收购将大大加强马塞勒斯页岩倡议，先进能源倡议和国家煤炭和能源研究中心正在进行的研究;在西弗吉尼亚大学建立的三个校园范围内的计划，以推进该地区的能源研究。 因此，该奖项开辟了整个国家和地区的新的研究前沿。此外，一个非常有才华和多样化的研究人员谁是目前从事和/或参与稳定同位素研究在西弗吉尼亚大学的研究计划将受益。结合的研究，教学和实践培训将为学生提供机会，以更好地了解同位素基础知识及其在几个STEM学科中的应用，同时也有助于PI的早期职业发展。

This Early Career grant supports the acquisition of a GC-Isolink and two years of dedicated technician support in the new Stable Isotope Laboratory in the Department of Geology and Geography at West Virginia University (WVU). The instrument adds new capability of isotope analyses of individual compounds including hydrocarbons and dissolved natural gases. The instrument will be connected to the Delta V Advantage Isotope ratio mass spectrometer via the low flow outlet of Conflo IV device installed in the isotope laboratory. The award will help the WVU Isotope facility to become a core center for advancing research and training in the Earth Sciences with primary focus on the energy and environment topics targeted in the NSF?s Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability (SEES) program. Two areas of the PI?s research program that will specifically benefit from this grant include 1) biogeochemical controls on black shale deposition and environmental issues associated with shale gas extraction and, 2) gas-fluid-rock interactions in CO2 sequestration and enhanced geothermal systems.This award will enhance PI?s ability to capitalize and meet goals of the Regional University Alliance (RUA) developed by the Department of Energy and the National Energy Technology Lab to address the emerging energy and environment issues. Acquisition of new instrumentation will greatly strengthen the ongoing research within the Marcellus Shale Initiative, Advanced Energy Initiative, and National Research Center for Coal and Energy; the three campus-wide programs established at WVU for advancing energy research in the region. Therefore, this award opens up new research frontiers across the state and the region. In addition, research programs of a very talented and diverse group of research faculty who are currently engaged and/or getting involved in stable isotope research at WVU will be benefited. The combined research, teaching and hands-on training will provide opportunities for students to develop a better understanding of the isotope basics and its application in several STEM disciplines while also contributing to the early career development of the PI.