Acquisition of Microbial Ecology Instrumentation to Improve Science Education at Marist College

设备将用于在马里斯特学院实施微生物生态学的综合本科教育/研究计划。购买一台Olympus BX60F荧光显微镜，配备数字成像和图像分析系统，2)一台BiOLOG MicroStation微生物鉴定/群落表征，3)过滤和离心仪器，4)微生物培养仪器，5)HydroLab水质监测仪器。该设备将使PI能够将马里斯特大学环境微生物学的教学与研究结合起来，并将为教师同事提供更多的机会，让学生参与积极的学习练习。所要求的仪器将由马里斯特科学学院的教师/研究人员共享。使用所要求的仪器完成的工作将集中在哈德逊河流域的病毒和细菌污染物动力学、哈德逊河中微生物宿主-病毒相互作用、北极和南极极端栖息地（例如麦克默多干谷LTER站点）宿主-病毒组合的特征、极地微生物群落特征的工作以及污染物对微生物群落的影响。该设备将用于从环境样品中分离、培养、枚举、鉴定和保存各种原生和真核微生物。微生物群落的结构和功能将在考虑相关生境特征的情况下进行评估。在PI的环境微生物学课程中进行研究项目的学生，那些获得本科生研究奖学金的学生，以及其他从事学分研究的学生（在PI或教员同事的指导下），将提高利用现代技术解决相关科学问题的能力。通过创造更好的学习环境，扩大现有的科学研究和研究教育能力。提高哈德逊流域水生系统研究能力的仪器将使马里斯特学院在未来更好地参与乔治·帕塔基州长提议的亨利·哈德逊河流和河口研究与教育研究所。提高马里斯特的能力还将促进与其他具有微生物生态学专业知识的当地机构（例如，纽约州米尔布鲁克的生态系统研究所）的合作项目。由于所要求的仪器是共享使用的，生物系、环境科学系和化学系的教师将以不同的方式利用这些设备来促进研究、研究训练和丰富火星科学学生的教育经验。这将加强一个框架，使更多的学生，包括女性和少数族裔本科生

Equipment will be acquired to implement an integrated undergraduate education/research program in microbial ecology at Marist College. An Olympus BX60F epifluorescent microscope with digital imaging and image analysis system, 2) a BiOLOG MicroStation for microbial identification/community characterization, 3) filtration and centrifugation instrumentation, 4) microbial culturing instrumentation, and 5) HydroLab water-quality monitoring instrumentation will be purchased. This equipment will allow the PI to integrate teaching with research in environmental microbiology at Marist and will provide greater opportunities for faculty colleagues to involve students in active learning exercises. Requested instrumentation will be shared by teacher/researchers within Marist's School of Science.Work to be accomplished with the requested instrumentation will focus on viral and bacterial contaminant dynamics in the Hudson River watershed, microbial host-virus interactions in the Hudson, characterization of host-virus assemblages from extreme arctic and antarctic habitats (e.g., the McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER site), work on the characterization of polar microbial communities, and pollutant impacts on microbial communities. The equipment will be used for the isolation, culture, enumeration, identification and preservation of a variety of both pro-and eukaryotic microbes from environmental samples. The structure and function of microbial communities will be assessed along with a consideration of relevant habitat characteristics. Students conducting research projects for the PI's course in Environmental Microbiology, those with undergraduate research fellowships, and others performing research for credit, (under the direction of either the PI or faculty colleagues), will have an improved capacity to utilize modern technology in addressing relevant scientific questions.Current scientific research and education-through-research capabilities will be expanded with the creation of better-equipped learning environments. Instruments improving capabilities to conduct research on aquatic systems in the Hudson drainage will place Marist College in a better position for future involvement with Governor George Pataki's proposed Henry Hudson Institute for Riverine and Estuarine Research and Education. Improving capabilities at Marist will also foster collaborative projects with those at other local institutions having expertise in microbial ecology (e.g., the Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, NY). As the requested instrumentation will be for shared-use, faculty in the Biology, Environmental Science and Chemistry Departments will utilize this equipment in diverse ways to promote research, research training and to enrich the educational experiences of Marist science students. This will strengthen a framework in which greater numbers of students, (including female and minority undergraduates