Description of Instrumentation: Evangel College requests $210,884 from the National Science Foundation for the acquisition of a system of analytical instruments to be used in environmental research. This proposal addresses equipment requirements in the environmental research program, which is a collaboration between biology, chemistry, and environmental science faculty in the Science and Technology Department. The project will be directed by Dr. Turner Collins, Professor of Biology. He will be assisted by Mr. Michael Tenneson and Dr. Michael McCorcle. The environmental teaching and research experience of this will bring a multidisciplinary approach to this project. This acquisition will make possible a wide array of research training opportunities for the Evangel College science student. The request is for a system of analytical instruments which will be networked into a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). The system consists of three analytical instruments along with computer hardware and software. Each of these precision instruments integrates with a networked version of a LIMS software package. Evangel College already has installed a campus network; the equipment represented by this proposal will be attached to the existing network. When the complete system is operational, students will analyze samples in the instrument room, store the results on the LIMS database, and retrieve data for lab reports from any computer on the network. Research and Research Training: Successful research training requires a capable faculty, energetic and gifted science students, and technological tools in step with today's research profession. Evangel College possesses a capable faculty with both research and research training experience. Many of Evangel's graduates have gone on to receive higher degrees. Of the 22 private colleges and universities in Missouri, Evangel ranks 6th in the production of st udents who eventually receive Ph.D's. In addition, Evangel has produced more teachers than any of these other Missouri institutions. While Evangel's Science and Technology department has had some initial success in forming research training, the technological components required for state-of-the-art research training experiences do not yet exist. To date, scientific research and research training at Evangel have capitalized on regional environmental issues and local cooperative alliances. The school is located in the Ozark Mountains, a recreational region with great environmental concerns. Evangel College faculty and student researchers are conducting environmental studies of the region's water supplies. In this process, cooperative arrangements exist with the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and the City Utilities of Springfield, Missouri. Activities Resulting from Funding: The current research projects have been short term projects which have been severely hindered by the lack of modern and sophisticated instrumentation. The instrumentation from this proposal will permit the modernization of the Evangel College research labs, will permit the students to participate in a meaningful long-term research project, and will contribute valuable information to the city and state agencies.
