SWU installs electron transmission microscope
Katie Brush,left, a biology major at Southern Wesleyan University, looks into the Hitachi transmission electron microscope, donated to the university's Science Department recently. Also pictured is David Fipps Jr., a pre-medicine major at SWU.
Southern Wesleyan University's science students now have a powerful research tool, thanks to the recent donation of a Hitachi transmission electron microscope.
The microscope, donated by the Life Sciences Department at Clemson University, represents a significant piece of highly technical equipment that will be a powerful and invaluable addition to SWU's science, pre-med and forensics students, according to Dr. David Spittal, university president. Approximately $25,000 was raised through donations of colleagues and friends of Southern Wesleyan University to pay for moving and installing the microscope.
"We are deeply appreciative of their support and a donation from Hitachi Corporation for making this equipment possible," Spittal said.
Dr. Walt Sinnamon, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at SWU, noted that Hitachi cut the cost to dismantle and reassemble the microscope essentially in half.
"The transmission electron microscope will allow us to view biological samples and physical samples up to as much as 600,000 magnification, if needed," Sinnamon said. "This will be a real asset, particularly in the cellular and molecular biological areas."
The donation also means that the department now houses two electron microscopes. Sinnamon said that Clemson donated a JEOL scanning electron microscope 10 years ago.
Spittal recalls the significance of acquiring Southern Wesleyan University's first electron microscope.
"Several years ago, Clemson University offered a scanning electron microscope for our Science Department. This outstanding technology has provided a unique opportunity for our faculty and students to have access to a piece of equipment generally only available at graduate research institutions," Spittal said.