This grant in the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program provides Purdue University with funds for the acquisition of an atomic force microscope (AFM)/scanning tunneling microscope (STM). This instrument will be shared between the Purdue University High School Outreach Program, also known as the Purdue Instrument Van Project, and the conventional undergraduate instruction program in the Purdue Chemistry Department. In the former role, the surface microscope will be used to demonstrate the underlying molecular and atomic basis of matter to high school teachers and their students. It will join a number of other instruments delivered to high schools by the Purdue Chemistry Van for hands-on use by students. The equipment will also be used in the Instrumental Analysis course taken by Purdue chemistry majors. This course has a laboratory experience in instrumentation at its core and the addition of AFM/STM capability will greatly improve the quality of this course.
