With this award from the MRI program, the State University of New York College at Oneonta (SUNY Oneonta) will acquire an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES) and microwave digestion system (MDS). The research carried out with these instruments, both at SUNY Oneonta and with colleagues at nearby Hartwick College, involves a wide array of geological, environmental and chemical studies. These include studies of the elemental composition of metamorphic rock formations in New York and Montana, studies on the cycling of trace elements in environmental systems and specific studies of the accumulation and cycling of mercury in the Adirondack Region (New York). A major component of this project is the involvement of undergraduate students in laboratory-based research linked with field-work and the analysis of geological features in the field. The acquisition of this instrumentation will greatly enhance our suite of shared analytical instrumentation at SUNY Oneonta, benefiting the research of a number of faculty members and improving undergraduate education. ***
