It鈥檚 easy to assume that a community college won鈥檛 have the same opportunities found at large four-year universities. At 香蜜影视however, two faculty members are working hard to prove how wrong that misconception is.
Ami Wangeline and Zac Roehrs, instructors in the biology program at LCCC, collaborated on a grant with a team from the University of Northern Colorado, to provide that school with a new electron microscope to replace the one they had. Their current model was still fully operational, but UNC wanted to try for a larger option. The grant was approved through the National Science Foundation.
鈥淭he previous microscope was no longer being used, so we asked about the possibility of donating it to us,鈥� Wangeline shared. 鈥淭hey agreed, and we happily brought it up here.鈥�
Not only does a gesture like that build goodwill between the two institutions, it also helps bridge scientific opportunities for faculty, students and research.
As both instructors acknowledge, this type of equipment is exceedingly rare for a community college to possess. Though several big universities have that equipment, that doesn鈥檛 necessarily translate to students having access to the microscope.
鈥淚n those situations, you would prepare the sample and give it to a technician to run,鈥� Roehrs said. 鈥淲e can actually teach students how to use this. Doctoral candidates don鈥檛 even get to really work on it this way.鈥�
That kind of access not only helps draw students to the program, but it also gives them a leg up when they transfer to schools to finish their bachelor鈥檚 degrees. For example, students in Biology of Plants and Fungi were some of the first to fully immerse into an SEM project as a class, collecting samples and taking images. It went so well that the hope is to expand this opportunity to additional students through courses going forward.
To many people, science can be slightly intimidating. Without instructors or context to help give meaning to the lesson, there often is little value to the learner. Wangeline and Roehrs are both aware of that and give tremendous energy to what they teach.
For instance, most people have probably used dissecting or compound microscopes, which use light to help magnify the images, up to 1,500X in a best-case scenario. This certainly can help with instruction, but also has limitations as to the depths of discovery.
A scanning electron microscope (SEM), however, uses a beam of electrons in a vacuum that bounce off the object with magnification of up to 200,000X, giving such intricate details as the surface of a cell or extraordinarily tiny organisms living on other tiny organisms.
Preparing the specimens for viewing is an extensive and time-consuming process. Additionally, because there is no light, the images can鈥檛 be conveyed in color. However, it is common practice to add distinctive coloring to the image after the fact.
The microscope itself is an unassuming piece of equipment, found in a relatively non-descript imaging room in the Science Building. What it does though, is simply amazing to see.
鈥淲e undersell the experience of using something like this,鈥� Roehrs said.
In fact, the SEM is being used by more than just 香蜜影视students. In building a collaborative research environment, both Wangeline and Roehrs welcome the idea of bridging opportunities with other schools. Just as 香蜜影视is welcome to use equipment at UNC, a student from Colorado State University was able to use LCCC鈥檚 microscopy and in particular the personnel who supported it.
鈥淩egional schools have open doors to share resources, and we reciprocate,鈥� Wangeline noted.
Roehrs added, 鈥淚f you work in science, it鈥檚 all about collaboration.鈥�
It鈥檚 that kind of regional collaboration that has helped a trio of students take research to exciting places.
Three former 香蜜影视students who went on to UW were able to use the SEM, which also functions as an X-ray scanner, to determine the composition of crystals produced by fungus in the area. That research is being prepared for publication in 鈥淔ungal Biology,鈥� a peer-reviewed science journal.
These three students are making tremendous strides as they advance in their fields: two are completing graduate school in Idaho and Texas, the third has finished an advanced degree in molecular biology and will soon be going to medical school.
Wangeline and Roehrs find the collaborative environment beneficial to schools and to students, in addition to giving credibility to LCCC.
鈥淚t works both ways. We can direct students to those schools. There are so many fields in biology. We want to help guide students into the parts that they鈥檙e interested in. The more people we can connect with, the better we can help them find schools that would be the best fit,鈥� Roehrs said.
Like much of the rest of the college, these instructors work hard to ensure that going to 香蜜影视is not perceived as a lesser opportunity. They also know that several students come from relatively rural areas where high schools may have had limited access to high-tech equipment.
鈥淲e want to break down that barrier immediately,鈥� Wangeline said. 鈥淥ne of the great things is that we can get the students hands-on scientific skills early on. It gives them confidence and keeps them engaged.鈥�
Molly Loetscher, a general science major at 香蜜影视with an emphasis in biology, is thrilled to have experience with the SEM.
鈥淭he opportunity is phenomenal. It opens up a whole other world. Something so small, that you see every day, looks completely different under this microscope,鈥� she said.
As a research student, she has done extensive field work while at 香蜜影视and even presented papers based on her findings. Loetscher plans to continue her education after she graduates in May. Already, she knows she has an advantage compared to other students.
鈥淲hen applying for lab positions, they get a lot of applications. When they see you have experience with SEM, it puts you at the top of the list and opens up a lot of positions.鈥�
Ultimately, the benefit of obtaining equipment like this and incorporating it into curriculum is to give more opportunities to 香蜜影视students.
鈥淥ur central goal with any of this research is student-centered,鈥� Roehrs said. 鈥淚f they go into science, it鈥檚 important for them to have experience. Even if they walk away learning that they don鈥檛 want a career in science, then I鈥檓 excited they figured that out about themselves. That鈥檚 important.鈥�