This award from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities (CRIF) Program will assist the Department of Chemistry at the University of South Dakota to acquire an air-cooled closed-cycle cryostat and a dedicated mechanical vacuum pump. Four faculty members will use the cryostat for research projects in optical spectroscopy and inorganic photochemistry. A cryostat can provide the means for studying the effects of temperature on various photophysical and photochemical processes. The ease of operation of the equipment also makes it particularly suitable for use by undergraduates involved in research.