MRI: Acquisition of an Analytical Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) with High Resolution for Multi-disciplinary Research and Training

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An award is made to South Dakota State University (SDSU) to acquire a state-of-the-art, high resolution, analytical, transmission electron microscope (TEM). The TEM will be housed in a shared facility to enable and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration of faculty and students from colleges and universities across South Dakota and the region. The TEM will be incorporated into SDSU outreach activities to help high school science teachers stimulate student interest in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. The TEM will allow researchers to examine many different materials on the molecular level and nano-scale, which will immediately benefit a broad research portfolio. The TEM will be used in several projects to aid energy independence including developing better photovoltaic materials, developing better electrochemical energy storage devices, and developing better catalysts for converting biomass to gasoline. The TEM will also be used in projects to increase sustainable food production by allowing researchers to focus in on the mechanics of emerging viral infectious diseases and examining the resource exchange processes in mycorrhizal-plant interactions.