NSF Award
2215523
This Major Research Instrumentation award supports the acquisition of a state-of-the-art field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) for California State University Bakersfield (CSUB), a designated Hispanic Serving Institution and the only comprehensive university within a radius of over 100 miles. The new FE-SEM is an analytical system that can achieve high-resolution imaging of samples at nanometer scale, while simultaneously performing qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis of the surface of the sample. The remarkable versatility of this instrument will upgrade our research capabilities across multiple disciplines, including Geology, Biology, Environmental Studies, Engineering, Physics, and Agriculture. This instrument will be an integral part of CSUB’s efforts to improve the enrollment and retention of minority students, to enhance their educational achievements, to develop research skills necessary for graduate-level study, and to increase the number of underrepresented minority students in pursuing graduate degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. This instrument will also enhance outreach efforts to neighboring community colleges, high schools, and science teacher training initiatives which are partly supported by separate NSF funding. <br/><br/>The new instrument includes an FE-SEM, an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) with silicon drift detector and a coldstage. The FE-SEM provides nanometer-scale resolution for the imaging of sample surfaces at low accelerating voltage, without the requirement of conductive coatings, which will significantly reduce the imaging artifacts and improve the capability of resolving fine-scale features. The EDS with silicon drift detector provides elemental analysis of materials, and it allows fast scanning and excellent energy resolution. The coldstage brings an entirely new SEM technology to CSUB that is particularly valuable for examination of biological specimens. This instrument will revolutionize the analytical capabilities of CSUB SEM Laboratory and new research will focus on the following aspects, including 1) nanometer-scale pore structure in mudrocks and clay microporosity in sandstones (Geology); 2) paleoceanography, geobiology and paleoclimate (Geology); 3) wood structure and plant hydraulic function (Biology); 4) structure of soft matter like cellulose and the relationship to physical properties (Engineering); 5) agricultural-waste-derived catalyst screening and characterization for enhanced energy and resource recovery (Agriculture). It will support several current externally funded research projects including projects funded by the NSF. It will also enable new research directions for CSUB faculty and facilitate new collaborative projects between CSUB faculty from different departments, as well as collaborations with researchers from 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.
