Equipment: MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of a Laser Ablation System for ICP-MS to Expand a Broad Range of Analytical Activities and Research Training in the Earth Sciences

Information

• NSF Award
• 2320703

Owner

• UNION COLLEGE

• Award Id

  2320703

• Award Effective Date

  9/1/2023 - 10 months ago

• Award Expiration Date

  8/31/2026 - 2 years from now

• Award Amount

  $ 265,000.00

• Award Instrument

  Standard Grant

This MRI award funds a laser ablation (LA) system to couple with an existing Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS). The LA-ICP-MS allows elemental analysis of very small areas (micron scale) of solid geological or biological samples. The LA will enable the research programs of Union faculty and students, as well as those of researchers from outside institutions. The acquisition of the LA will greatly expand our ability to address both basic and applied questions in paleoclimatology, paleoenvironments, and high-temperature geochemistry (including volcanology and geochronology), and their connection to related geological, geochemical, atmospheric, hydrologic, and ecological systems. The LA will allow for both rapid throughput and high spatial resolution that is required by the proposed research activities. This instrumentation will allow the lab to expand its capabilities in geochemistry, and is critical to advancing the research needs of several Geosciences faculty and their students. <br/> <br/>The LA will advance research on developing multiproxy paleoclimate, palaeoceanographic, and paleoenvironmental records, specifically to: a) utilize stalagmites to develop climate records in temperate and tropical regions; b) investigate historical pollution events using stalagmites and bivalve shells; and c) develop and investigate elemental proxies in biological carbonates including bivalve shells and corals. The LA system will also advance high-temperature geochemical research, with projects on magma mixing, volatile content of magmas prior to eruption, and thermometry in volcanic rocks and deeply eroded mountain belts. The LA will be used in undergraduate independent research, the lab components of undergraduate courses, and will advance the research of two female pre-tenure faculty at nearby institutions as well as foster new collaborations at other institutions.<br/><br/>This 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.

• Program Officer

  Amanda Keen-Zebertakeenzeb@nsf.gov7032924984

• Min Amd Letter Date

  8/9/2023 - 11 months ago

• Max Amd Letter Date

  8/9/2023 - 11 months ago

• ARRA Amount

• Name

  Union College

• City

  SCHENECTADY

• State

  NY

• Country

  United States

• Address

  807 UNION ST

• Postal Code

  123083256

• Phone Number

  5183886101

• First Name

  Holli

• Last Name

  Frey

• Email Address

  freyh@union.edu

• Start Date

  8/9/2023 12:00:00 AM

• First Name

  Matthew

• Last Name

  Manon

• Email Address

  manonm@union.edu

• Start Date

  8/9/2023 12:00:00 AM

• First Name

  David

• Last Name

  Gillikin

• Email Address

  gillikid@union.edu

• Start Date

  8/9/2023 12:00:00 AM

• First Name

  Kurt

• Last Name

  Hollocher

• Email Address

  hollochk@union.edu

• Start Date

  8/9/2023 12:00:00 AM

• First Name

  Donald

• Last Name

  Rodbell

• Email Address

  rodbelld@union.edu

• Start Date

  8/9/2023 12:00:00 AM

• Text

  Major Research Instrumentation

• Code

  1189

• Text

  Instrumentation & Facilities

• Code

  1580

• Text

  MAJOR RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION

• Code

  1189

• Text

  EMBRACE