Acquisition of a Scanning Electron Microscope for the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Santa Barbara Museum Of Natural History, Santa Barbara CA

Investigators

Abstract

This award partially supports the acquisition of a variable pressure scanning electron microscope (SEM) at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History The instrument will be used for study of collections in anthropology, invertebrate and vertebrate zoology, and earth sciences. During the past 20 years, the Museum's collections, particularly those in invertebrate zoology, have undergone rapid growth and now hold in excess of two million specimens. The acquisition of the SEM will greatly enhance the study and accessibility of the Museum's specimen collections at precisely the moment when its holdings are becoming more widely used, including world-class holdings in Bryozoa, Cnidaria, Cephalopoda, and parasites. From a broader perspective, this acquisition will significantly enhance established Museum education and public programs, which function synergistically with its collections and research departments. Use of this facility will be incorporated into the biology curriculum of Santa Barbara City College, greatly enhancing training resources. The new facility will also interface with the general public through the use of SEM imagery presented through the Museum's exhibit facilities, at its home campus and its satellite Sea Center. Because of the Museum's traditional role in serving the community, this project will have immediate and continued public appeal.