Nanoscale Characterization and Fabrication Laboratory in ICTAS A
It was clear to me early in my move to Virginia Tech that to fully exploit the promise of nanotechnology, we must have a centralized facility with state-of-the-art equipment to fabricate, characterize, and manipulate matter and living cells at the nanoscale. To this end, we submitted a comprehensive proposal for $5,345,000 in CRI (Commonwealth Research Initiative) equipment funds for ten instruments to be housed in our new building, ICTAS A. This list was generated and prioritized by the ICTAS Faculty Advisory Board, a group composed of faculty members from four different colleges (College of Engineering, College of Science, College of Natural Resources, and the College of Veterinary Medicine). I am pleased to share that our request, with a few changes, was approved last year.
Professor Bill Reynolds has been appointed as Director of this new facility. Dr. Reynolds has been the key individual involved in putting together a business plan to run the Nanoscale Characterization and Fabrication Laboratory (NCFL) as a cost center and has coordinated efforts to purchase and install the new instruments. Additionally, in an effort to consolidate most of the available characterization equipment under one roof, we have arranged to move two Atomic Force microscopes, one Transmission Electron microscope and other related equipment to the NCFL. All instruments are expected to be housed in the first floor of the NCFL by the beginning of July 2007. The second floor is devoted to laboratory-related office and research collaboration space.
Additionally, we have received CRI supplemental funding designated for technical support and maintenance of the NCFL. In steady state, we expect to have five instrument specialists to provide technical support for all of the instruments housed in the NCFL.