MRI: Acquisition of Micro-computed Tomography and 3D Imaging Infrastructure for Interdisciplinary STEM Research in North Carolina

北卡罗来纳州格林斯伯勒大学获得了一个奖项，以获得一个微型计算机断层扫描（微型CT）扫描仪，这将促进基于高分辨率3D成像的STEM研究和培训。Micro-CT是一种基于X射线的技术，其使用正在推进对过去和现在复杂生物形式，基因型-表型-环境连接，人类文化（前）历史以及合成和生物相容性纳米元素工程的了解。该仪器将加速北卡罗来纳州和弗吉尼亚州用户群在这些领域的研究，包括少数民族服务机构、HBCU和这两个州科学服务不足地区的研究人员。CT仪器还将促进JSIRT的其他研究仪器和焦点之间的协同作用，JSIRT是格林斯伯勒两个机构（UNCG和北卡罗来纳州AT）之间的纳米科学中心和合作。为了确保该仪器满足区域STEM培训需求，该奖项支持这两个机构的本科生和研究生的短期形式和学期的CT课程。它还将通过开发K-8教育工具包和以科学为重点的社区活动中基于CT的外展活动来吸引和激励下一代STEM研究人员。Micro-CT允许物体以三维（3D）、非侵入性和极高分辨率成像（微米至亚微米尺度），转变表面、成分和横截面分析，以应用于纳米颗粒、工程复合材料，以及硬和软生物组织。微型CT仪器的获得将促进跨越这些STEM焦点的发现，提供跨材料类型，生物组织水平和时间尺度（从深时间到现在）的令人兴奋的研究和培训机会。它将为设在联合国大学和其他11个学术机构（加上工业伙伴）的不同用户集团提供服务，这些学术机构位于Triad和北卡罗来纳州西部以及弗吉尼亚州西南部，提供能力，以促进基础知识，扩大不同研究机构之间的协同作用。该奖项将通过CT和扫描重建的交叉上市，研究生和高级本科课程，特别是在UNCG和JSIRT支持STEM研究和培训。这将降低创新的、基于图像的学生研究项目的进入门槛。此外，该仪器将用于激励我们社区内的下一代STEM研究人员，为K-8教育套件的开发做出贡献（包括3D打印的生物学、古生物学、考古学、和工程物体）该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用评估来支持。基金会的学术价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

An award is made to the University of North Carolina Greensboro to acquire a micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scanner which will facilitate STEM research and training based on high-resolution 3D imaging. Micro-CT is an X-ray-based technology whose use is advancing knowledge of past and present complex biological forms, genotype-phenotype-environment connections, human cultural (pre)history, and engineering of synthetic and biocompatible nanoelements. The instrument will accelerate research in these areas for a user base in North Carolina and Virginia, including researchers at minority-serving institutions, HBCUs, and scientifically underserved regions of both states. The CT instrument will also facilitate synergies among additional research instruments and foci based at JSIRT, which is a nanoscience hub and collaboration between two institutions in Greensboro (UNCG and North Carolina A&T). To ensure the instrument serves regional STEM training needs, the award supports short-form and semester-long CT-based courses for undergraduate and graduate students at both of these institutions. It will also engage and inspire the next generation of STEM researchers via development of K-8 educational kits and CT-based outreach in science-focused community events.Micro-CT allows objects to be imaged in three dimensions (3D), non-invasively, and at very high resolution (micron to sub-micron scale), transforming surficial, compositional, and cross-sectional analysis for applications focused on nanoparticles, engineered composites, and hard and soft biological tissues. Acquisition of the micro-CT instrument will catalyze discovery that spans these STEM foci, providing exciting research and training opportunities across material types, levels of biological organization, and temporal scales (from deep time to present). It will serve a diverse consortium of users based at UNCG and 11 other academic institutions (plus industry partners) in the Triad and western North Carolina, as well as southwestern Virginia, providing capacity to advance basic knowledge and extend synergies among diverse research institutions. The award will bolster STEM research and training at UNCG and JSIRT in particular, via cross-listed, graduate and upper-level undergraduate courses in CT and scan reconstruction. This will lower the barrier of entry for innovative, imagery-based student research projects. Further, the instrument will be used to inspire the next generation of STEM researchers within our community by contributing to development of K-8 educational kits (including 3D-printed biological, paleontological, archaeological, and engineered objects) and integration in outreach events at the annual Science Everywhere festival on UNCG’s campusThis award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.