Equipment to Support Integrated Undergraduate Lab and Field Experiences in Biological and Environmental Science

该项目的目的是通过开发目前缺乏的一个维度来加强玛丽斯特学院的生物学课程——让高年级学生有机会通过参与一个综合的实地实验室研究项目来追求科学探究。由于学院坐落在哈德逊河的河岸上，生物系的教职员工选择专注于研究其生态系统的近河和河流群落。为了实施这个项目，学院正在使用美国国家科学基金会的资助资金及其配套资金购买双目显微镜，用于快速扫描和准确识别生物体，一台荧光显微镜，用于识别未知的病毒/细菌，使用荧光染色的抗体，如果它们与特定的病毒/细菌发生反应，就会在显微镜下发光。以及环境控制的生长室，以便在实验室中模拟诸如二氧化碳水平、光照强度、潮汐运动、温度、湿度和日长等现场条件。这个项目让马里斯特生物学院的教师为学生在研究生院和专业工作中遇到的现实挑战做好准备。

The aim of this project is to strengthen the Biology curriculum at Marist College by developing a dimension presently lacking -- that of allowing seniors the opportunity to pursue scientific inquiry by engaging in an integrated field-laboratory research project. Since the College is located on the banks of the Hudson River, the Biology faculty has chosen to focus on studying the near-river and riverine communities of its ecosystem. To implement this project the college is using NSF grant funds and its matching monies to purchase binocular microscopes for the rapid scanning and accurate identification of organisms, a fluorescence microscope for identifying unknown viruses/bacteria using fluorescent-dyed antibodies which glow under the scope if they react with a specific virus/bacterium, and environmentally controlled growth chambers to allow for simulation in the laboratory of such field conditions as CO2 level, light intensity, tidal movements, temperature, humidity and day length. This project allows the Marist Biology faculty to prepare students for realistic challenges they will meet in graduate schools and professional work.