X-ray diffraction is a fundamental analytical technique used in the characterization and identification of crystalline substances, with many applications across multiple disciplines. The principles behind the technique are relatively simple, training is simple, and instruments require little maintenance. As such, an X-ray diffraction lab is an ideally versatile facility for ongoing and future multidisciplinary research and educational activities at California State University Bakersfield (CSUB), a small regional state university. The X-ray diffraction instrumentation funded by this award will be utilized by a team led by geological sciences faculty with experience in establishing, maintaining, and sustaining sophisticated instrument laboratories at CSUB and a strong record of externally-funded research. They will be joined by a multi-disciplinary group of junior faculty with strong, student-centered research programs and a commitment to student research and training. The instrument will support existing and enable new research directions and collaborations between faculty at CSUB and promote collaborations with researchers from other institutions. The new instrument will provide research training for students at a minority-serving institution in a region with a large and fast-growing population from groups underrepresented in the sciences and engineering. It will also be an integral part of teaching at CSUB and neighboring partner institutions such as Bakersfield College and Taft College. The instrument will also enhance outreach efforts to high schools and science teacher training initiatives which are partly supported by separate NSF funding.
Specifically, this award funds the acquisition of a new PANalytical Inc. Empyrean X-ray diffractometer (XRD) to replace an outdated instrument acquired in 1991. The selected instrument has very versatile capabilities making it ideal for applications in different fields. The proposed instrument will allow continuation and timely completion of existing multi-disciplinary research projects in several natural sciences disciplines, as well as in engineering, and anthropology. Researchers in geological sciences will use the instrumentation to characterize geologic formations proposed for carbon capture and sequestration in the San Joaquin Valley, CA, to elucidate the paleoclimatic records from paleolake deposits in the Carrizo Plain, CA, examine thermodynamic properties of environmentally-relevant minerals, characterize the mineralogical composition of dust generated from desert soils near Las Vegas, NV, identify and quantify of clay and zeolite minerals involved in diagenesis of sandstones in stream and lake environments, provide baseline measurements of crystallinity and groundmass-crystal speciation as a geothermometer for welded tuffs, and establish strain and phyllitic alteration gradients across intra-batholith faults in the Sierra Nevada Batholith. Collaborative work with researchers outside of geological sciences will determine the physical parameters of soils that support the growth of the valley fever pathogen (Biology), examine the structure of soft matter such as cellulose and its relationship to physical properties (Engineering), and sourcing of archaeological materials (Anthropology).
