MRI: Acquisition of an Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer as a catalyst for faculty-student research in chemistry and environmental science

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。稳定同位素分析已成为研究一系列生物和化学现象的重要工具。这种仪器将允许使用稳定同位素来进行从碳和氮的地球化学到食物网动态到古生态和法医分析的研究项目。这些仪器在校园内的存在将允许完成这些研究项目，而无需将样本发送到外部实验室，并将加强从物理化学到分子生物学和生态学的几乎无限范围的科学学科的研究和教学活动。所有这些项目都对我们对环境和化学过程的理解做出了重大贡献，并加强了圣奥拉夫学院的跨学科研究。该仪器也将用于课堂上，作为圣奥拉夫学院日益增长的研究型教学传统的一部分。目前的几门课程将直接受益，每年为多达40名学生提供研究机会。此外，这次收购将导致稳定同位素生态学的新课程的发展，由早期职业科学家教授。这笔赠款的预期成果包括在科学会议上进行演讲的数据和在同行评审期刊上发表的研究成果，以及通过网站和其他基于互联网的内容向其他科学教育工作者传播的课程材料的开发。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Analysis of stable isotopes has become an important tool in the study of a range of biological and chemical phenomena. This instrumentation will allow the use of stable isotopes to pursue research projects ranging from carbon and nitrogen biogeochemistry, to food web dynamics, to paleoecological and forensic analyses. The presence of these instruments on campus will allow completion of these research projects without sending samples to outside laboratories and will enhance research and teaching activities in an almost unlimited range of science disciplines, from physical chemistry to molecular biology and ecology. All of the projects represent significant contributions to our understanding of environmental and chemical processes, and enhance interdisciplinary research at St. Olaf College. The instrumentation will also be used in classes as part of a growing tradition of research-based teaching at St. Olaf College. Several current courses will benefit directly, providing research opportunities for up to 40 students per year. In addition, this acquisition will lead to the development of a new course in stable isotope ecology taught by an early career scientist. Expected outcomes of this grant include data leading to presentations at scientific meetings and research publications in peer-reviewed journals, as well as the development of curricular materials that will be disseminated to other science educators through websites and other internet-based content.