The MTSU Interdisciplinary
Microanalysis and Imaging Center (MIMIC) is a core facility
for microscopy and other characterization equipment that is
centrally located in the Forrest Hall Annex and housed administratively
in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. This shared
resource for research in structural biology and materials science
is scheduled to be fully operational by early Fall 2006. The
Center is run on a fee-for-usage basis. Currently part-time
Technical and Administrative Directors as well as a part-time
Technical Manager are associated with the facility. An Advisory
Board reviews and approves policy and procedures for Center
operation. The renovation of the space has been funded by the
President’s Office, the Provosts Office, MTSU Foundation
Special Projects Committee, which generously awarded its entire
2005-2006 budget to the project, matching funds from an NSF-funded
instrument, the Dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences
and the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering
Technology & Industrial Studies, Geosciences, and the College
of Liberal Arts. This represents the most inclusive collaborative
effort in science at MTSU to date, aside from the new science
building.
Location
MTSU Interdisciplinary Microanalysis and Imaging Center (MIMIC)
is located in the ROTC Annex, the building behind Keathley
University Center. There are two sides of the center: the
west side contains microscopy equipment, a conference room,
technician office, data analysis stations, and a preparation
lab. The east side houses inductively coupled mass spectrometry
equipment and an enclosed clean preparation laboratory.
Instrumentation
Among the microscopes available for use are:
Hitachi H-7650 Transmission Electron Microscope.
Hitachi S-3400 Scanning Electron Microscope with
Oxford INCA Energy 200 Dispersive X-Ray Analyzer
Both electron microscopes are all-digital and have remote
access capability
Other equipment
Perkin-Elmer Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer
In addition, the following items are also available for use:
Ultramicrotome (Leica Ultracut)
Critical Point Dryer (Polaron)
Knife-maker (Leica EM KMR2)
Sputter coater (Hummer 6.2)
Vacuum evaporator (Ladd)
Rototorque rotator, microcentrifuge
Biosafety II cabinet
All of the instruments in MIMIC will be used in both research
and for instruction. In fact, the SEM and TEM are fitted with
remote access hardware and software so that they may be run
from locations on and off campus. A technician is associated
with the center to train users, and to aid in sample preparation,
data gathering and analysis, accounting, and scheduling.
Since it is intended to promote interdisciplinary collaborations,
MIMIC contains a conference room for discussions and some
office space for users to analyze data.
For general information, please contact:
Dr. Ngee Sing Chong, Ph.D.
Administrative Director, MIMIC
email: nchong@mtsu.edu
phone: (615) 898-5487
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