Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

We are an interdisciplinary group of 12 natural and biomedical scientists who share an interest in microscopy and who use the Scientific Imaging Suite at Dalhousie University. We work on a range of systems, living and non-living, with a range of physical dimensions, and we have in common a longstanding need for a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Access to a research grade SEM at Dalhousie is limited to one heavily-booked instrument situated for most of us 2km away. Past attempts to secure a new instrument for the Suite have not been funded, and rather than await future prospects, we have sought to fill our immediate needs by purchasing a used instrument recently decommissioned from a lab of the Department of National Defence. This 10-year old instrument had been regularly maintained and worked perfectly until its decommissioning, but needs new computer hardware and updated software to operate. We request funds to have the manufacturer install this instrument, and the associated hardware and software, to bring it into full operation. We also request two additional items of equipment for specimen preparation, a critical point dryer and a sputter coater, both of which are routine items for SEM which we lack in working order. With these items and the installation of our SEM we will have available a fully operational facility which still has a long expected working life at a remarkably economical price. We have no other means to activate this instrument. Our users will use it for imaging specimens that include a wide range of samples, and for training HQP in this useful and technically straightforward mode of microscopy for which we currently lack a research grade instrument.