This project involves the creation of a new technical support position devoted to the management of Miami University's two isotope geochemistry clean labs and new thermal ionization mass spectrometry lab. The addition of the new technician position provides much-needed assistance in the day-to-day maintenance, operation, student training and development work associated with the isotope geochemistry labs. This new position doubles the technical support staff in the Miami University Geology Department, and has a particular impact on the isotope geochemistry lab users, greatly enhancing the ability to accommodate larger numbers of in-house users, to accommodate users with diverse applications and sample types, and to develop new chemistry and mass spectrometry techniques. The new technical support position provides an experienced technician, available full-time, to mentor and oversee student lab activities and to enhance student participation in developmental projects. In addition, the technician plays a major role in offerings of new laboratory-based courses at the undergraduate and graduate level, which encourages the use of the isotope facilities by undergraduate students and in-house and external graduate students with diverse geologic interests.
