Acquisition of New Excimer Laser Ablation System for a High Resolution ICPMS Facility

This proposal requests funds to 1) purchase a laser ablation (LA) system for use with an existing Thermo Scientific Element2 sector-field, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (SF-ICPMS), and 2) establish a summer institute for underrepresented students aimed at laser ablation microanalysis of geologic materials (?PLASMA?, Projects in Laser Ablation Spectrometry for Minority Achievement). Our current laser ablation facility is housed in a Geological Sciences department laboratory that serves faculty, undergraduate and graduate students at California State University Northridge (CSUN), and other institutions in the Los Angeles area. Notably, the CSUN LA-SF-ICPMS facility plays a key role in supporting undergraduate senior thesis research projects, many of which involve underrepresented minority and female students at CSUN [e.g., Jonathan Rivas (BS, ?14), Casey Polon (BS, ?14), Mary Ann Ferrer (BS, ?16), David Quezada (BS, expected ?17)]. Acquisition of a new LA system will have a transformative effect on the careers of PIs Cecil and Schwartz by increasing their research productivity, allowing them to more effectively supervise students and fostering collaborations with external users in the LA region and nationally.