MRI: Acquisition of a Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GCMS) for Citizen- and Student-Driven Inquiry in Urban District of Columbia

MRI仪器旨在让城市环境（华盛顿特区）的社区和学校参与进来，以扩大代表性不足的群体和低收入学生的参与，了解影响他们生活质量、健康和环境正义的环境问题。研究和教育任务的结合将促进对城市环境因素的理解和基于探究的STEM教育。将在居民关心周围空气质量的社区寻求合作伙伴关系，学生们会特别告知他们挥发性有机化合物（VOCs）的情况，其中许多是已知的毒素。确定大气中挥发性有机化合物的时空变化特征将补充先前对颗粒物和金属的研究，有助于为健康差异的研究提供信息，并可与其他城市地区进行直接比较。中心仪器是气相色谱仪/质谱仪（GCMS），将被安置在华盛顿特区三一华盛顿大学（Trinity Washington University）的一座新科学大楼里。三一华盛顿大学是一所少数民族服务机构，为女性提供传统的文理学院课程。鼓励未被充分代表的少数民族积极参与STEM领域，从人口统计学上讲，符合国家利益。是华盛顿三一大学的非博士。NSF MRI招标第IV节中定义的授予机构

The MRI instrumentation seeks to engage neighborhoods and schools in an urban setting (Washington DC) to broaden the participation of underrepresented groups and low-income students in understanding environmental issues that affect their quality of life, health and environmental justice. A combination of research and educational tasks will advance both the understanding of urban environmental factors and inquiry based STEM education. Partnerships will be sought in neighborhoods where residents are concerned about their ambient air quality, with students informing them specifically for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), many of which are known toxins. Characterizing spatial and temporal variations of atmospheric VOCs will complement prior studies of particulate matter and metals, help inform studies of health disparities, and allow direct comparisons with other urban areas.The central instrument is a gas chromatograph / mass spectrometer (GCMS) to be housed in a new science building at Trinity Washington University, a Minority Serving Institution in Washington, D.C. with a traditional liberal arts college curriculum for women. Encouragement of underepresented minorities to actively participate in STEM fields serves, demographically, the national interst.Trinity Washington University is a non-Ph.D. granting institution as defined in Section IV of the NSF MRI solicitation