Quantification Of The Environment. An X-Ray Flourescence Analysis Facility (XFR) To Enhance Undergraduate Environmental Field/Analytical Training

申请资金用于购买x射线荧光分析仪（XRF），即Kevex EDX-771，以增强我们在环境科学、地质科学、生物学和化学领域的本科课程和本科生研究中的环境数据量化能力。布朗大学最近建立了环境科学专业，这是建立在自然科学教师的专业知识和已建立的以政策为导向的环境研究中心的基础上的。联合使用XRF将鼓励部门间关系的发展，同时加强新的环境科学方案。目前正在开设新的环境课程，现有课程正在向更强的实地分析方向发展。使用XRF将使这些课程的学生有机会在模拟自然过程的实验室练习中进行化学分析，分析天然材料，并确定仪器的局限性如何限制我们解决某些问题的能力。所有环境科学和地球科学专业的学生都必须有一篇毕业论文，大多数科学专业的学生都选择至少一个学期的独立研究。许多这些研究项目将充分利用XRF分析设备。

Funding is requested for purchase of an X-ray fluorescence analyzer (XRF), the Kevex EDX-771, to enhance our capabilities in quantification of environmental data in undergraduate courses and undergraduate research in the fields of Environmental Sciences, Geological Sciences, Biology, and Chemistry. The recent establishment of an Environmental Sciences concentration (major) at Brown builds on the expertise of faculty in these natural sciences and the established policy-oriented Center for Environmental Studies. Joint use of the XRF would encourage development of interdepartmental ties while strengthening the new Environmental Science program.New environmental courses are being offered and existing courses are evolving to a stronger field-analytical orientation. Access to the XRF would give students in these courses the opportunity to perform chemical analyses in lab exercises simulating natural processes, to analyze natural materials, and to determine how limitations of the instrument constrain our ability to solve certain problems. A senior thesis is required of all Environmental Science and GeoScience majors and most science concentrators choose at least one semester of independent research. Many of these research projects will make excellent use of an XRF analytical facility.