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Grants fund equipment, collaboration
March 30, 2007
Chemistry professor Dean Waldow spent spring break playing with the newest, fanciest piece of scientific equipment to grace Rieke Science Center.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) funded an $180,000 grant proposal in full, allowing the chemistry department to acquire a high-end atomic force microscope.
It is, Waldow said, “the BMW” of atomic force microscopes, and will contribute significantly to the undergrad experience at PLU.
The grant is the first of two major NSF grants garnered by chemistry professors over the last several months, totaling over $360,000.
The new microscope launches PLU into the minute field of nanotechnology, as it allows faculty and students to study structures that can’t be seen by the naked eye, Waldow said.
The instrument takes pictures of structures that measure less than 100 nanometers. To put the size in perspective, consider that one nanometer is equal to one-billionth of a meter. A human hair measures between 60,000 and 120,000 nanometers, while red blood cells are between 7,000 to 8,000 nanometers, Waldow explained.
Unlike traditional microscopes, the atomic force microscope doesn’t require light or allow researchers to view images directly. Instead, it works by touch. A 10-nanometer pinpoint taps along the surface of the sample in parallel lines, similar to the stylus on a phonograph machine, and translates the image based on the surface to a computer screen, Waldow said.
The computer images resemble topographical maps, showing the structures and heights of the sample. The new technology will complement existing research techniques by giving the researchers additional insight into the molecules being studied, Waldow said.
“In chemistry, we often imagine how things look. This is the first piece of equipment that allows us to actually see,” Waldow said. “Any time you can bring in visualization, the more insights you can learn of the science.”
Waldow hopes the instrument will lead to more papers published by student-faculty research teams, which would lead to more opportunities and more equipment in the future. Additionally, using an advanced piece of equipment is a necessary experience for students interested in graduate school.
“It’s hard to get into grad school without the experience,” he said. “Students get a lot of hands-on access to equipment here. It’s one of our strengths.”
To help perpetuate PLU’s practice of student-faculty research projects, Waldow also recently secured a $175,000 grant from NSF. Beginning this June, the money will fund the salaries, supplies and some travel expenses for nine student researchers over the next three years.
Waldow’s research examines synthetic polymers, the particles that make up plastics. He is specifically interested in polymer blends, the combination of two polymers, and how to keep the blend together. Many blends separate easily, like oil and water, he explained. To keep a blend together, a third synthetic polymer is often introduced to act like “double-sided scotch tape,” he said.
Two other chemistry professors, Myriam Cotten and Paul Davis, will be using the atomic force microscope in their student-faculty research projects. Cotten is investigating anti-microbial compounds, which act like antibacterial agents, killing bacteria, viruses and germs. Meanwhile, Davis focuses his research on gold nanoparticles and their potential to be used in detecting performance-enhancing drugs in athletes.
To learn more about PLU’s chemistry department, visit www.chem.plu.edu.
It is, Waldow said, “the BMW” of atomic force microscopes, and will contribute significantly to the undergrad experience at PLU.
The grant is the first of two major NSF grants garnered by chemistry professors over the last several months, totaling over $360,000.
The new microscope launches PLU into the minute field of nanotechnology, as it allows faculty and students to study structures that can’t be seen by the naked eye, Waldow said.
The instrument takes pictures of structures that measure less than 100 nanometers. To put the size in perspective, consider that one nanometer is equal to one-billionth of a meter. A human hair measures between 60,000 and 120,000 nanometers, while red blood cells are between 7,000 to 8,000 nanometers, Waldow explained.
Unlike traditional microscopes, the atomic force microscope doesn’t require light or allow researchers to view images directly. Instead, it works by touch. A 10-nanometer pinpoint taps along the surface of the sample in parallel lines, similar to the stylus on a phonograph machine, and translates the image based on the surface to a computer screen, Waldow said.
The computer images resemble topographical maps, showing the structures and heights of the sample. The new technology will complement existing research techniques by giving the researchers additional insight into the molecules being studied, Waldow said.
“In chemistry, we often imagine how things look. This is the first piece of equipment that allows us to actually see,” Waldow said. “Any time you can bring in visualization, the more insights you can learn of the science.”
Waldow hopes the instrument will lead to more papers published by student-faculty research teams, which would lead to more opportunities and more equipment in the future. Additionally, using an advanced piece of equipment is a necessary experience for students interested in graduate school.
“It’s hard to get into grad school without the experience,” he said. “Students get a lot of hands-on access to equipment here. It’s one of our strengths.”
To help perpetuate PLU’s practice of student-faculty research projects, Waldow also recently secured a $175,000 grant from NSF. Beginning this June, the money will fund the salaries, supplies and some travel expenses for nine student researchers over the next three years.
Waldow’s research examines synthetic polymers, the particles that make up plastics. He is specifically interested in polymer blends, the combination of two polymers, and how to keep the blend together. Many blends separate easily, like oil and water, he explained. To keep a blend together, a third synthetic polymer is often introduced to act like “double-sided scotch tape,” he said.
Two other chemistry professors, Myriam Cotten and Paul Davis, will be using the atomic force microscope in their student-faculty research projects. Cotten is investigating anti-microbial compounds, which act like antibacterial agents, killing bacteria, viruses and germs. Meanwhile, Davis focuses his research on gold nanoparticles and their potential to be used in detecting performance-enhancing drugs in athletes.
To learn more about PLU’s chemistry department, visit www.chem.plu.edu.