MRI: Acquisition of a Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscope for Multidisciplinary Research Needs with Undergraduates at Hope College

MRI：购买场发射扫描电子显微镜，以满足希望学院本科生的多学科研究需求

• 批准号: 2117655
• 负责人: Natalia Gonzalez-Pech
• 金额: $ 32.14万
• 依托单位: Hope College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-09-01 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2117655&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; Field; Emission; Scanning

This Major Research Instrumentation award supports the acquisition of a field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) with low-vacuum, low-voltage, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) capabilities for Hope College. The FESEM greatly enhances the current suite of microscopy techniques available at Hope College, provides training to a large number of undergraduate STEM students in modern instrumentation, and will lead to meaningful data in diverse scientific fields disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. The PIs' research spans five departments: Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Geological & Environmental Sciences, and Physics. Three co-PIs and five Senior Personnel are early-career faculty. This equipment will strengthen their research and provide valuable skills for their students who will become an essential part of the nation’s workforce. Undergraduate researchers at Hope College, 15% of whom are underrepresented minorities, will be using this advanced equipment for transformative, cutting-edge research, thus building STEM talent and workforce. This instrument will have a regional impact by providing access to sophisticated instrumentation to local companies and academic institutions. In addition to collaborative research, a wider audience will be engaged through programs such as ExploreHope, which provides summer science and academic-year outreach activities that reach over 2,000 K-12 students and teachers per year. The PIs will integrate the FESEM into the ExploreHope curriculum so that K-12 students will interact with the instrument. This FESEM will transform research at Hope College, enhance undergraduate education, and promote community engagement.The FESEM allows researchers to investigate (a) the synthesis of multifunctional nanomaterials for water remediation and energy-related applications, (b) the design of thermochromic photovoltaics that could lead to improved solar cells (c) techniques for the facile alignment and synthesis of responsive liquid crystalline polymers that will enable the design of adaptive, shape-programmable structures and devices, (d) the morphological differences of functionalized polymer thin films for sensing applications, and (e) the effect of wear on the morphology and composition of advanced lubrication schemes. Additionally, the FESEM will enhance several areas of environmental research. The instrument will allow investigation of (a) the degradation mechanisms at play in organic matter in peatlands, (b) how suspended fine particles affect water quality, and (c) the effects of nanoparticles on sensory processing and behavior in animals. Finally, the FESEM will enable biological research projects from virology to ecology. The requested instrument will provide insight into (a) the structure and formation of viral replication complexes that will lead to novel therapeutic strategies, (b) mitochondrial genetics and biosynthetic pathways that play fundamental roles in human health, (c) regulation of anti-oxidant defense pathways in the central nervous system that may be involved in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, (d) the evolution of maple trees during periods of climatic change, (e) how the immune system influences animal behavior, and (f) neuronal degeneration and repair following damage. The FESEM will increase the research capabilities in materials, environmental, and biological characterization at Hope College by providing an instrument with high-resolution, high magnification, and low-vacuum capabilities. Data provided by this instrument promises to increase the publication rate and funding success for faculty who otherwise have limited access to similar quality instrumentation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这个主要研究仪器奖支持收购场发射扫描电子显微镜（FESEM）与低真空，低电压，能量色散X射线光谱（EDS），扫描透射电子显微镜（STEM）的希望学院的能力。FESEM极大地增强了霍普学院现有的显微镜技术套件，为大量本科STEM学生提供现代仪器的培训，并将通过同行评审的出版物和会议演示文稿传播不同科学领域的有意义的数据。PI的研究跨越五个部门：生物，化学，工程，地质环境科学和物理。三个合作PI和五个高级人员是早期职业教师。这些设备将加强他们的研究，并为他们的学生提供宝贵的技能，这些学生将成为国家劳动力的重要组成部分。霍普学院的本科研究人员中有15%是代表性不足的少数民族，他们将使用这种先进的设备进行变革性的尖端研究，从而培养STEM人才和劳动力。这一仪器将通过向当地公司和学术机构提供先进仪器而产生区域影响。除了合作研究外，更广泛的受众将通过ExploreHope等项目参与，该项目提供夏季科学和学术年外展活动，每年有2,000多名K-12学生和教师参加。PI将FESEM整合到ExploreHope课程中，以便K-12学生与仪器互动。该FESEM将改变霍普学院的研究，加强本科教育，并促进社区参与。FESEM允许研究人员研究（a）用于水修复和能源相关应用的多功能纳米材料的合成，（B）可导致改进的太阳能电池的热致变色光致变色材料的设计（c）用于响应性液晶聚合物的容易对准和合成的技术，其将使得能够设计自适应的、形状可编程的结构和器件，（d）用于传感应用的官能化聚合物薄膜的形态差异，以及（e）磨损对高级润滑方案的形态和组成的影响。此外，FESEM将加强环境研究的几个领域。该仪器将允许调查（a）泥炭地有机物的降解机制，（B）悬浮细颗粒如何影响水质，以及（c）纳米颗粒对动物感官处理和行为的影响。最后，FESEM将使从病毒学到生态学的生物研究项目成为可能。所要求的仪器将提供对以下方面的深入了解：（a）病毒复制复合物的结构和形成，这将导致新的治疗策略，（B）在人类健康中发挥基本作用的线粒体遗传学和生物合成途径，（c）中枢神经系统中可能涉及癌症和神经变性疾病的抗氧化防御途径的调节，（d）枫树在气候变化期间的进化，（e）免疫系统如何影响动物行为，以及（f）神经元退化和损伤后的修复。FESEM将通过提供具有高分辨率，高放大倍率和低真空能力的仪器来提高霍普学院在材料，环境和生物表征方面的研究能力。该仪器提供的数据有望提高出版率和资助成功的教师谁，否则有机会获得类似的质量instruments.This奖反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。