This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
The Thermal Biology Institute (TBI) has been in existence for approximately ten years and focused on extremophile research primarily related to the hot spring environments of Yellowstone National Park. TBI is a multidisciplinary research center with faculty (~twenty) spread across three colleges and seven departments at MSU as such our multi-investigator research and training facility located on the 6th floor of MSU's Leon Johnson Hall is of paramount importance for facilitating and maintaining multi-investigator research projects within the center. The renovation of the main 6th floor laboratory space will include: replacement of flooring, lighting, ductwork, cabinets, fume hoods, door frames and window sealant; refurbishment of electrical, plumbing, heating, cooling, air-handling, hood ventilation and temperature control systems; removal of asbestos; reconfiguration of lab benches & spaces; installation of a fire sprinkler system and network wiring. The renovation of the cold room will include replacing this room with a pre-manufactured cold room to improve working conditions (light and space) and efficiency. A new temperature controlled computer server room will house existing computers that support the genomics and informatics activities of the institute. TBI is home to several multi-investigator NSF supported programs including an Integrated Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program in Geobiological Systems, a Research Coordination Network on Yellowstone data collection and data sharing, several past and current Microbiology Observatory project on Yellowstone microbiology. TBI researchers have a long track record in training undergraduates and have involved over seventy undergraduates in various research projects over the past five years with a number of those supported by NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. In addition, TBI has a long tradition of successful outreach and communicating science to public audiences and has made significant impacts in formal and informal education using the engaging living laboratory of Yellowstone National Park as tool to help people understand and see the value of science.
.MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"?? ??"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} -- The renovated TBI laboratory is used for K-12 teacher continuing education courses. TBI hosts a Master of Science in Science Education (MSSE) course for science educators in primary and secondary schools. Montana State University’s MSSE program is designed to allow science educators to obtain a master’s degree. TBI offers two courses: 1) Thermal Biology in Yellowstone National Park and 2) Examining Life in Extreme Environments. The lab also hosts events for junior high and high school students for YNP hands-on activities through TBI outreach programs. The TBI teaching lab is also available for teacher workshops during the academic year.
