Loyola University Maryland has received a $120,611 grant from the National Science Foundation’s Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement program to support the enhancement of the University’s initiatives in chemistry and biology. Specifically, this interdisciplinary grant will enable the departments to incorporate graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry into courses and research. This methodology allows for greater sensitivity, increased speed, and smaller sample size in experiments.
The equipment involved and “real world” analysis methods this methodology uses will encourage greater understanding of modern instrumental techniques and chemical analysis among undergraduate students and better prepare them for future work in graduate school as well as careers in the sciences.
Elizabeth Dahl, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry, is the lead investigator on the project. Maren Blohm, Ph.D, assistant professor of biology, is the key participant from that department.
This award is Loyola’s fourth National Science Foundation grant in the past year, and comes as the University is launching a $12 million project to expand and renovate its Donnelly Science Center facility. Construction on that project began this month and is expected to continue until August 2011.
For more information or questions regarding this story, contact Media Relations Manager Nick Alexopulos at nalexopulos@loyola.edu or 410-617-5025.