A Scanning Electron Microscope for Undergraduate Biological Instruction and Independent Research.

使用扫描电子显微镜（SEM），临界点干燥器和 溅射镀膜机，学院正在把它的生物课程， 扫描原理与方法高级课程 电镜 参加本课程的学生可获得 对科学研究方法的理解， 解释生物结构的能力， skills. 该设施的一个重要的额外好处是 增加学生研究的机会。 大幅 该部门每年15个专业的毕业生群体的一小部分将 在超微结构方面做了独立的工作。 职前生物学 教师，加上高年级学生从化学，地质学和物理学，也 将有权使用SEM和辅助样本制备 设备. 主题包括选举光学（理论，镜头，分辨率）， SEM设计和操作，样品制备技术（固定， 脱水，涂层），图像的解释（测量和 收缩），表面标记，元素分析，SEM应用于 广泛的微生物和问题，以及实验室安全。 SEM的能力正在对 部门的工作在发育生物学，植物解剖学，系统 植物学和昆虫学，等等。 由于SEM制备不 需要耗时的薄切片，它比透射法优越上级 电子显微镜在这一广泛的本科应用。

Using the scanning electron microscope (SEM), a critical point dryer and a sputter coater, the College is bringing to its Biology curriculum a new upper-division course on the Principles and Methods of Scanning Electron Microscopy. Students enrolling in this course gain enhanced understanding of the methods of scientific investigation, greater ability to interpret biological structure, and improved technical skills. An important additional benefit of the facility is the increased opportunity for student research it affords. A substantial fraction of the Department's graduating group of 15 majors annually will have done independent work in ultrastructure. Pre-service Biology teachers, plus upperclassmen from chemistry, geology and physics, also will have access to the SEM and ancillary specimen preparation equipment. Topics include election optics (theory, lenses, resolution), SEM design and operation, specimen preparative techniques (fixation, dehydration, coating), interpretation of images (measurement and shrinkage), surface labelling, elemental analysis, SEM applications to a wide range of organisms and questions, and laboratory safety. The SEM capability is having a valuable secondary impact on the Department's work in Developmental Biology, Plant Anatomy, Systemmatic Botany and Entomology, among others. Since SEM preparation does not require time-consuming thin sectioning, it is superior to transmission electromicroscopy in this wide variety of undergraduate applications.