This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
Funds from this grant will support the acquisition of a powder x-ray diffractometer for the Chemistry and Geology Departments at Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU). The new XRD will serve research and research training need of this undergraduate institution in rural southern, MN. Research requiring mineral phase characterization with applications to understanding sediment diagenesis, ore deposit genesis, the transport and fate of alkali and alkaline Earth metals in regional groundwater systems, and the behavior and properties of novel concrete mixtures and superconducting materials will all benefit from this acquisition. MSU plays an important role in the training of scientifically literate undergraduates, students who are job competitive in the technology sectors. This award will support the research of an early career new investigator and provide partial salary support for a laboratory technician.
