MRI: Acquisition of a Field Emission Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope for Research and Education in Nanomaterials and Biological Structures at Tulane University

扫描电子显微镜系统将用于开展广泛的创新研究项目，范围从了解纳米材料到生物系统固有的精细结构。在纳米材料的研究中，该仪器将用于检测薄膜的结构和扩展的分级结构。这些研究将导致开发新的催化剂和薄膜、光伏和热电设备，以及轻质复合材料结构的开发。这些研究还将带来制造纳米结构材料的新途径。在生物学方面，这项研究将有助于确定淡水鱼的精细结构，如飞镖的尾部神经桅杆和吸鱼的唇面解剖，以完善它们的分类和系统学。这项工作将有助于更好地了解北美淡水鱼的生物多样性。拟议的仪器采购将极大地改善杜兰大学的研究和教育基础设施。它将被安置在杜兰的协调仪器设施(CIF)中，这是一个在大学范围内运行和维护共享仪器的设施。该仪器将向整个大学社区提供，并将提高杜兰大学研究生和本科教育的卓越水平。拟议的工具将用于培训和课堂演示，并将为本科生和研究生提供研究机会。此次收购将通过路易斯安那州少数族裔参与联盟(LAMP)、杜兰/泽维尔联合学位计划和研究生联盟计划(GAELA)等现有计划，在鼓励未被充分代表的群体参与科学和工程领域方面发挥重要作用。此外，此次收购将有助于吸引高素质的学生和教师来到杜兰大学。

The scanning electron microscope system will be used to carry out a wide range of innovative research projects ranging from the understanding of nanomaterials to the fine structures inherent in biological systems. In the nanomaterials research, the instrument will be used to examine the structure of thin films and extended hierarchical structures. These studies will lead to the development of new catalysts and membranes, photovoltaic and thermoelectric devices, and in the development of lightweight composite structures. The studies will also lead to new avenues to manufacture nanostructured materials. In biology, the research will help define the fine structures of freshwater fishes, such as tail neuromasts in darters and lip-surface anatomy in suckers, in order to refine their taxonomy and systematics. This work will lead to a better understanding of freshwater fish biodiversity in North America. The proposed instrument acquisition will greatly improve the infrastructure for research and education at Tulane University. It will be housed in the Coordinated Instrumentation Facility (CIF) at Tulane, which is a facility that operates and maintains university-wide shared instrumentation. The instrument will be available to the entire university community and will enhance excellence in graduate and undergraduate education at Tulane. The proposed instrument will be used in training and class demonstrations and will provide research opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students. This acquisition will play an important role in encouraging the participation of underrepresented groups in the areas of science and engineering, through such existing programs as the Louisiana Alliance for Minority Participation (LAMP), the Tulane/Xavier combined degree program, and the Graduate Alliance Program (GAELA). In addition, this acquisition will help to attract high-quality students and faculty to Tulane University.