The PIs request funding for an elemental stable isotope chemistry (ESIC) mass spectrometer. This instrument will serve South Texas, a geographically, socio-economically and educationally isolated region. The ESIC is a modern requirement for ecosystem-level research and applied environmental assessment. In the fields of biological, geological and environmental sciences IRMS provides advanced scientific understanding of key earth cycles. In addition, it is a primary assessment tool to determine anthropogenic influences on environmental health, enabling development of effective strategies to manage ecosystems. The ESIC will enhance environmental research and STEM education at six South Texas Hispanic Serving Institutes (HSI) through the NSF-funded Research Coordination Network (RCN) - Climate, Energy, Environment and Engagement in Semiarid Regions.
Broader Impacts:
Funding of this proposal will dramatically increase access of cutting edge research tools to underrepresented Hispanics, as use of the mass spec will be incorporated into many classes. Training on the IRMS and stable isotope biogeochemistry will be incorporated into coursework, bolstering the technical proficiency of the impacted local student population and generally improving the research infrastructure in South Texas. The instrument is expected to foster collaborations and training opportunities with six other Hispanic-Serving Institutions in South Texas. The instrument is also anticipated to improve faculty and student recruitment at multiple Hispanic-serving institutions.
The Isotope Core Laboratory has been established at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) to increase training and research opportunities for students and faculty on campus. The laboratory occupies approximately 800 square feet of space in the Natural Resources Center and houses an isotope ratio mass spectrometer in-line with a gas bench, gas chromatograph and an elemental analyzer. The laboratory also has an array of sample preparation equipment, including a microbalance, a computer-controlled micromill, a precision wafering saw, a cryomill and a freeze-dryer. With this equipment, faculty, staff and students are capable of preparing and analyzing a range of sample types for determination of stable isotopic composition. Stable isotopic signatures are widely used to investigate biological, geological and environmental processes. Researchers at TAMU-CC are using stable isotopes to study the feeding ecology of fish. The results of this work have implications for fisheries management and future artificial reef construction. A source assessment of natural gas through the use of stable isotopes is being used to further elucidate the role of methane in climate fluctuations. TAMU-CC scientists are also using stable isotopes of carbon to characterize bacterial degradation of organic matter in the oceans to increase our understanding of the global carbon cycle. Collectively, the work supported by the Isotope Core Laboratory will advance our knowledge of Earth's elemental cycles while fostering integrated, collaborative and inter-institutional research.
