An award has been made to the University of Scranton under the direction of Dr. Maria E. Squire for the acquisition of a high resolution microcomputed tomography instrument that will be used in research on mineralized biological samples. The micro-CT device allows nondestructive imaging of samples such as mineralized bone, teeth, and mollusk shells. This will allow researchers to study mechanical structure of bones in birds, bats, and mice, and the structure of snail shells. The researchers have active programs for undergraduate research during the academic year and summer. Half of the Biology majors are female, and female graduate students make up approximately 50% of the Masters Degree students. A college program called University of Success recruits economically disadvantaged, minority students, and fist generation college students, and this program will offer training programs using the new instrumentation.
