On May 17 – 18, 2016 the Notre Dame Integrated Imaging Facility (NDIIF) is hosting their third annual Midwest Imaging and Microanalysis Workshop at the University of Notre Dame. The two-day event was jointly organized by the Department of Electrical Engineering, along with support from Notre Dame Research and other Colleges, departments, and centers. Researchers who utilize imaging technologies are invited to learn about the new trends in high resolution and in-situ electron microscopy for nanotechnology, materials, and bio-sciences.
“This event provides an opportunity for scientists and engineers from across the disciplines to learn about the different imaging-related research taking place at Notre Dame and throughout the Midwest, as well as new or updated imaging technology that has become available,” said Bradley D. Smith, Director of the NDIIF and Emil T. Hofman Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry. “Bringing in researchers and partners from outside the University broadens our perspective on how we can utilize imaging for research and provide insight to our current research projects.”
New this year is a networking opportunity for female undergraduate and graduate students involved in microscopy who are interested in pursuing a career in transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Sergei Rouvimov, research associate professor of electrical engineering and TEM program director, initiated a luncheon meeting as a part of the NDIIF workshop to bring female students involved in materials research together with potential mentors and peers in the field in order to foster an inclusive environment that supports their career or educational development.
“As faculty, we work hard to ensure that student involvement in professional activities associated with the microscopy workshop, the Electron Microscopy Club, and the new Women in Microscopy Club will help our students to mature as researchers and provide a pathway to professional success in their future career. Additionally, we believe these associations permit our students to be more motivated and driven to explore – and ultimately succeed - in their research fields,” said Rouvimov. “In this traditionally male-dominated field, my colleagues and I at the NDIIF and the Department of Electrical Engineering encourage all women studying at the University to be a part of these activities as well as the ongoing TEM research taking place across campus.”
The NDIIF is a Notre Dame Research core facility that includes four imaging laboratories: an electron microscopy laboratory, an optical microscopy laboratory, an in vivo imaging laboratory, and a histology laboratory. Each of the laboratories, which are located across campus, focus on a specific kind of imaging and house different, state-of-the-art instruments to facilitate an array of research needs.
When talking about the facility, Smith said, “Sharing a core facility means that scientists and engineers – who often work in different mind sets and sometimes do not utilize each other as a resource – can speak about imaging as a commonality between them. This means researchers of different backgrounds are more likely to work together, find solutions to problems through interdisciplinary collaboration, and strengthen our research community.”
The NDIIF provides an integrated suite of sophisticated microscopes and imaging stations that enable expert users to attack the most complex modern research problems and, equally important, resident professional staff (technicians and research specialists) to guide the non-expert users and allow them to conduct experiments that were previously beyond their limits. The NDIIF is open to the Notre Dame research community, external academic institutions, and industry. Additionally, it is an approved Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI) core facility, with services available to all CTSI partners. If you would like to learn more about this core facility or their upcoming workshop, please visit ndiif.nd.edu.
Contact:
Sarah Chapman / Assistant Director of Biological Imaging
Integrated Imaging Facility / University of Notre Dame
sarah.chapman55@gmail.com / 574.631.3813
About Notre Dame Research:
The University of Notre Dame is a private research and teaching university inspired by its Catholic mission. Located in South Bend, Indiana, its researchers are advancing human understanding through research, scholarship, education, and creative endeavor in order to be a repository for knowledge and a powerful means for doing good in the world. For more information, please see research.nd.edu or @UNDResearch.