| NSF Org: |
EAR Division Of Earth Sciences |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 24, 2022 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | September 6, 2022 |
| Award Number: | 2215716 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Luciana Astiz
lastiz@nsf.gov (703)292-4705 EAR Division Of Earth Sciences GEO Directorate for Geosciences |
| Start Date: | September 15, 2022 |
| End Date: | February 29, 2024 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $303,140.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $303,140.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
901 8TH ST S MOORHEAD MN US 56562-0001 (218)299-3606 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
901 South 8th Street Moorhead MN US 56562-0001 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | Instrumentation & Facilities |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.050 |
ABSTRACT
The Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award will support the acquisition of a Quantum Design VersaLab Physical Property Measurement System (VersaLab - PPMS). The instrument will be used to support faculty research and teaching laboratories (physics advanced laboratory, materials science, and geology) at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, a non-Ph.D. granting institution. The VersaLab ? PPMS is a versatile instrument, capable of conducting electrical, magnetic, and thermal properties measurements in the temperature range of 50 ? 1000 K. The apparatus installed at Concordia College will also serve a regional consortium of higher education institutions in North Dakota and Northwest Minnesota. The researchers will engage undergraduate students in hands-on investigations of a broad range of materials during the summer and throughout the regular school year, thus training the next generation of scientists.
This award will support the acquisition of a VersaLab Physical Property Measurement System (VersaLab ? PPMS), made by Quantum Design, Inc (San Diego, CA), and to be housed in the Physics Department at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. The equipment has a 3 Tesla cryogen-free superconducting magnet and can measure electrical, magnetic, and thermal properties of materials over a broad temperature range (50 ? 1000 K). The VersaLab system will enhance the quality and scope of research possible by the Principal Investigators and increase the speed at which data is collected. Specific research topics include the investigation of (1) the magnetic properties of iron oxides polymorphs submitted to thermal treatment; (2) the effects of foreign elements in the structure of iron oxides; (3) the conversion of iron oxides in a controlled environment versus their transformation in ambient conditions; and (4) the properties of magnetic nanomaterials. The apparatus will also support Concordia College?s physics curriculum by adding teaching laboratory activities to materials science, advanced laboratories and the geology course, thus furthering our mission of training the next generation of scientists using modern technology and techniques.
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.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
For this project, the PI received funds to acquire a VersaLab Physical Property Measurement System (VersaLab), made by Quantum Design, Inc. (San Diego, CA). With a 3 Tesla cryogen-free superconducting magnet, the instrument can measure the electrical, magnetic, and thermal properties of materials over a broad temperature range (50 – 1000 K). The VersaLab apparatus has a small footprint, and it is a great combination of teaching and research measurement platforms for STEM education and student laboratories. This portable, cryogen-free cryocooler-based material characterization system, allows students to gain hands-on experience in sample characterization using a similar physical properties measurement system research-grade platform. Another additional advantage of the system is its stability and accuracy of the magnetic field and temperature systems which also match the performance of other research-grade PPMS instruments. The apparatus installation required little additional infrastructure, a simple single phase 220 V AC power on a 20 A dedicated circuit, and no cooling water. These features make it well-suited to a primarily undergraduate institution, such as Concordia College, where research is valued but not the only goal.
The VersaLab is uniquely suited to fulfill the research needs of the PI and plays an important role in laboratory instruction. The base capabilities of the instrument are fully programmable and automated, allowing student researchers to run the instrument unattended for long periods during the academic year. The instrument was installed and has been in use for six months. During this period, it was used by students in two courses (Advanced Laboratory and Introduction to Materials Science) summer research and research during the academic year. For the two laboratory courses, eighteen students had access to the instrument. Students in the advanced laboratory investigated iron phase conversion, the results of the study were included in a manuscript that they prepared and submitted to the Journal of Undergraduate Reports in Physics (JURP), a peer-reviewed online journal of the Society of Physics Students. The group of students had a first-hand experience of the scientific data publication process.
The apparatus is contributing to the advancement of the research of the PI on the study of the magnetic properties of iron oxides. During the summer, two students engaged in research to identify and characterize the iron oxides present in samples of Pipestone. This work is a new collaboration with a Native American individual interested in understanding the properties of the material that is being carved. In collaboration with the PI, a student is using the apparatus to investigate the formation and conversion process of iron oxide polymorphs. The project has advanced since the acquisition of the VersaLab, relevant data was obtained and a manuscript for disseminating the results is in preparation. The PI also made contact with personnel from the industry in the region and one company demonstrated interest in using the capabilities of the apparatus to investigate their samples.
As we continue to use the VersaLab, it will be leveraged to engage more students interested in STEM professions, providing hands-on research during the summer and academic year. In addition, it will continue to be used in the classroom to enhance student learning and take advantage of connections with the STEM industry in the region.
Last Modified: 06/18/2024
Modified by: Thelma Berquo
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