MRI: Acquisition of a Versatile Scanning Electron Microscope for Multi-User Research and Teaching in the Electron Microscopy Center at North Dakota State University

技术摘要北达科他州立大学将获得一种新的低真空扫描电子显微镜。这台仪器将配备一个能量色散光谱仪(EDS)、一个张力台和一个用于远程成像和控制的WebSEM系统。这种最先进的显微镜将支持二次和反向散射成像、显微分析、研究培训、课堂教育和大学显微镜中心的外展计划。购买这种显微镜将加强正在进行的研究项目，并在纳米科学、生物材料、聚合物材料/涂层、受体介导的单核细胞分化、植物病理学和昆虫学方面刺激新的研究努力。完全水合的标本可以在没有传统固定和脱水的情况下进行检查。这种显微镜的能力将增加使用该设施的学生和研究人员的数量，并将在现有课程中提供额外的教育经验，并刺激纳米科学、工程和生物科学领域的扩展课程。这一新仪器将加强现有的合作研究计划，提供刺激以促进新的合作计划，加强我们与发起纳米技术技术人员培训计划的地区大学联盟的合作，通过自然计划(培育美国部落本科生研究和教育)为北达科他州部落学院和高中提供远程显微镜访问的机会，并支持我们向整个地区的K-12学生和教师拓展。这一新仪器将把显微镜的作用扩展到新的和令人兴奋的研究领域，包括纳米技术、新型聚合物和涂层、工程和生物科学。这一显微镜将允许对使用我们目前的仪器无法轻松检测的广泛样本进行研究，从而刺激校内外更多的合作研究努力。这种显微镜提供的优点将包括在现有的课程中，并将作为组件添加到目前正在开发的新课程中。在校内外教室或办公室进行远程操作的能力将使学生和教职员工能够轻松访问最先进的显微镜。远程操作使这种仪器在整个地区的其他大学、北达科他州部落学院、专科学校和初中生中都可以使用。

Technical AbstractNorth Dakota State University will acquire a new low vacuum scanning electron microscope. This instrument will be equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), a tensile stage, and a WebSEM system for remote imaging and control. This state-of-the-art microscope will support secondary and backscatter imaging, microanalysis, research training, classroom education and the outreach programs of the University Microscopy Center. Acquisition of this microscope will strengthen ongoing research projects and stimulate new research efforts in nanoscience, biomaterials, polymeric materials/coatings, receptor-mediated monocyte differentiation, plant pathology, and entomology. Fully hydrated specimens can be examined without traditional fixation and dehydration. The capabilities of this microscope will increase the number of students and researchers using the facility and will provide additional educational experiences in exiting courses and stimulate an expanded curriculum in the areas nanoscience, engineering, and the biology sciences. This new instrumentation will strengthen existing collaborative research programs, provide the stimulus to facilitate new cooperative programs, strengthen our collaboration with a consortium of regional colleges initiating a nanotechnology technician training program, provide the opportunity for remote microscopy access to North Dakota tribal colleges and high schools through the NATURE program (Nurturing American Tribal Undergraduate Research and Education) and support our outreach to K-12 students and teachers throughout the region.Lay AbstractThe scanning electron microscope will strengthen on-going research programs in the North Dakota State University Microscopy Center. This new instrumentation will expand the role of microscopy into new and exciting research areas including nanotechnology, new polymers and coatings, engineering, and biological sciences. This microscope will allow the investigation of a wide range of samples that can not be easily examined using our current instruments, thus stimulating additional cooperative research efforts both on and off campus. The advantages offered by this microscope will be included in existing courses and will be added as a component to new classes currently being developed. The capability of remote operation from on or off campus classrooms or offices will provide students and faculty with easy access to a state -of-the-art microscope. Remote operation makes this instrument available to other universities, North Dakota tribal colleges, junior colleges, and middle and high school students throughout the region.