This award provides support for a high-resolution, X-ray micro-computed tomography (microCT) scanner that will enable cutting-edge research in the US Interior Highlands, including Northwest Arkansas, central and eastern Oklahoma, southern Missouri, and southeastern Kansas. Acquisition of this advanced Nikon imaging system will allow three-dimensional (3D), non-destructive study of biological and geological specimens, historical artifacts, and engineering materials that will permit researchers to document the internal structures of a wide range of natural and engineered materials and examine these structures in 3D down to the micro (¡Ü 0.1 mm) and nano-scales (< 0.001 mm). Documenting the microstructural organization of materials at these levels is critical for determining their function. This ability to peer inside the microstructure of materials applies to a wide range of disciplines including mechanical engineering, biology, anthropology, anatomy, paleontology, geology, neuroscience, chemistry and biochemistry, human health, biomedical engineering, and beyond. Via collaborations with numerous programs across Northwest Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma, the microCT equipment will also provide support and training for communities that typically do not have access to advanced imaging technologies, engage students in learning about the microstructural properties of everyday materials, and stimulate the interest and participation of women and underrepresented groups in STEM fields across the region.
The microstructure of natural and synthetic materials play critical roles in determining their functions and strengths. Yet, documenting these minute relationships non-destructively is often challenging. Among the most effective technologies for capturing such data accurately, quickly, and at a reasonable user expense are modern microCT scanners. These technologies have enabled 3D documentation of an increasing range of materials and the systematic evaluation of their composition, form, and functional properties¡ªleading to major breakthroughs in the biological, geological, and engineering sciences, among others. This microCT system will be operated and managed by the newly formed MicroCT Imaging Center for Research and Outreach (MICRO) and housed in the Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies (CAST) at the University of Arkansas. Regional biomedical and cognitive scientists, biologists, paleontologists, anthropologists, archeologists, aerospace and biomedical engineers, and researchers perfecting new approaches to 3D printing will benefit from this award by using the microCT system to conduct transformative and interdisciplinary research that will drive 21st century technologies and innovations. This award is jointly supported by the Social Behavioral and Economic, the Biology and the Engineering Directorates.
