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

核磁共振成像工具旨在让城市环境(华盛顿特区)的社区和学校参与进来，以扩大代表不足的群体和低收入学生在理解影响他们的生活质量、健康和环境正义的环境问题方面的参与。研究和教育任务的结合将促进对城市环境因素的理解和以探究为基础的STEM教育。将在居民关心环境空气质量的社区寻求合作伙伴关系，学生们专门向他们通报挥发性有机化合物(VOC)，其中许多是已知的毒素。表征大气VOCs的时空变化将补充先前对颗粒物和金属的研究，有助于为健康差距的研究提供信息，并允许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)，将安装在三一华盛顿大学的一座新的科学建筑中，这是华盛顿特区的一个少数民族服务机构，为女性开设了传统的文科大学课程。鼓励弱势群体积极参与STEM领域，在人口统计学上服务于国家利益。三一华盛顿大学是NSF MRI征集第四节中定义的非博士授予机构

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