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Division of Research

Major Research Instrumentation Program

Overview and 2024 and 2025 Award Winners

The Clemson Major Research Instrumentation (CU-MRI) initiative provides financial support from the Division of Research to Clemson University researchers for the purchase, replacement, or upgrade of major research equipment that impacts scholarship, research productivity, and award of extramural funding. For the purposes of this initiative, major research equipment is defined as a unit having a useful life of at least five years and an acquisition cost of more than $50,000.

The Division of Research approved awarding CU-MRI proposals for the year 2024 and 2025 funding season; awards each for CAFLS, CECAS, CBHSHS, and COS.

CU MRI: MUTUAL: A one-of-a kind MUlti-sTage water qUALity analysis system

PI: Dr. Debabrata Sahoo (Agricultural Sciences; CAFLS)

The project team consists of:
  • 8 faculty members from CAFLS
  • 3 faculty members from CECAS
  • 1 faculty member from SCIENCE

CU MRI: Acquisition of an NVIDIA H200 GPU Cluster for Research in Machine Learning and Scientific Computing

PI: Dr. Tao Wei (Electrical and Computer Engineering; CECAS)

The project team consists of:
  • 2 faculty members from CBSHS
  • 18 faculty members from CECAS
  • 2 faculty members from SCIENCE

CU-MRI: Quid: State-of-the-Art Data Scraping Technology for Interdisciplinary Social Media Listening Research

PI: Dr. Brandon Boatwright (Communications; CBSHS)

The project team consists of:
  • 2 faculty members from CBSHS.

CU-MRI: Next-Generation Hyperspectral Snapshot Imaging for Enhanced Phenotypic Profiling of Eukaryotic Pathogens Impacting Human Health

PI: Dr. Steven Dolan (Genetics and Biochemistry; Science)

The project team consists of:
  • 2 faculty members from SCIENCE

2024 Award Winners

CU MRI Expanding Plant Research Capability and Improving Data Accuracy for Agricultural-Based Systems Research at Clemson University

PI: Dr. Liliane Severino da Silva (Animal and Veterinary Sciences; CAFLS)

The project team consists of:
  • 2 Faculty members from CAFLS
  • 1 postdoc from CAFLS

CU-MRI: Controlled temperature chamber for postharvest quality and shelf-life assessment of fresh fruits and vegetables

PI: Dr. Karin Albornoz Molina (FNPS; CAFLS)

The project team consists of:
  • 3 faculty members from CAFLS.

CU-MRI: Targeted IN-SITU Geochemistry Enhanced Radiochemistry Research (TIGERR) Vehicle

PI: Dr. Fanny Coutelot (EEES; CECAS)

The project team consists of:
  • 5 faculty members from CECAS
  • 2 faculty member from CAFLS
  • 1 faculty member from SCIENCE

CU-MRI: Acquisition of an AC Magnetometer

PI: Dr. Suvra Laha (MSE; CECAS)

The project team consists of:
  • 5 faculty from CECAS
  • 3 faculty from SCIENCE

CU-MRI: Acquisition of a MALDI TOF/TOF mass spectrometer

PI: Dr. Rakesh Sachdeva (Chemistry; SCIENCE)

The project team consists of:
  • 7 faculty members from SCIENCE
  • 2 faculty members from CECAS

CU-MRI: Acquisition of Mid-Level Next Generation Sequencer

PI: Dr. Christopher Parkinson (Biological Sciences; SCIENCE)

The project team consists of:
  • 1 faculty members from SCIENCE
  • 1 faculty member from CECAS
  • 1 faculty member from CAFLS

Past Award Winners

2023 Clemson Major Research Instrumentation (CU-MRI) Award Winners

CU-MRI: Rapid Measurement of Microplastic Particles Across Environmental Systems with Laser Direct Infrared Imaging

PI: Dr. Stefanie Whitmire               Agricultural Sciences (CAFLS)

The project team consists of:

8 faculty members from CAFLS

2 faculty members from COS

3 faculty members from CECAS


CU-MRI: Acquisition of an Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer, Gas Bench, and Elemental Analyzer for the Adaptation to Climate Change

PI: Dr. Alexander Pullen               Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences (CECAS)

The project team consists of:

4 faculty members from CAFLS

4 faculty members from CBSHS

10 faculty members from CECAS

1 faculty member from COS

 

CU-MRI: Virtual Reality Simulator for Analyzing Criminal Justice Decision-making and Performance

PI: Dr. Kyle McClean               Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice

The project team consists of:

4 faculty members from CBSHS

1 Faculty member from CECAS

 

CU-MRI: Advancing the Optical Spectroscopy Capabilities with Lasers and Detection Cameras

PI: Dr. Thao Tran               Department of Chemistry

The project team consists of:

2 faculty members from CECAS

2 faculty members from COS

2022 Clemson Major Research Instrumentation (CU-MRI) Award Winners

CU-MRI: Acquisition of a Desorption Electrospray Ionization (DESI) interface to establish Mass Spectrometry Imaging Capability at Clemson University

PI: Dr. Nishanth Tharayil              Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences

The project team consists of:

One faculty                               Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences

One faculty                               Department of Biological Sciences

One faculty                               Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences


CU-MRI: KelvinoxJT Cryogenic Electro-Optical Characterization System

PI: Dr. Kasra Sardashti              Department of Physics and Astronomy

The project team consists of:

Two faculty                               Department of Physics and Astronomy

Two faculty                               Department of Chemistry

Two faculty                               Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering


CU-MRI: Acquisition of a Photolithography Mask Aligner to Enable Micro/Nano-Scale Device Fabrication in a Multi-User Cleanroom Facility

PI: Dr. Judson Ryckman              Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

The project team consists of:

Nine faculty                               Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

One faculty                               Department of Physics and Astronomy

One faculty                               Department of Mechanical Engineering


CU-MRI: Acquisition of Common-Use Geophysical Equipment for Locating, Documenting and Protecting Archaeological and Cultural Resources on Clemson University Landscapes

PI: Dr. David Markus              Department of Sociology and Anthropology

The project team consists of:

Three faculty                               Department of Sociology and Anthropology

One faculty                               Department of History and Geography

One faculty                               School of Architecture

One faculty                               Experiment Station

One faculty                               Historic Properties

One faculty                               Facilities

Two faculty                               Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences


CU-MRI: Boosting Computational Infrastructure for Multidisciplinary Big Data Analyses

PI: Dr. Trudy Mackay              Department of Genetics and Biochemistry

The project team consists of:

Three faculty                               Department of Genetics and Biochemistry

One faculty                               Department of Food, Nutrition and Packaging Sciences

One faculty                               Department of Bioengineering


CU-MRI: High-Resolution UV-Vis-NIR Spectrophotometer for Analysis of f-Element Solution Thermodynamics and Coordination Chemistry

PI: Dr. Shanna Estes              Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences

The project team consists of:

Two faculty                               Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences

Two faculty                               Department of Chemistry

Center Affiliations                       NEESRWM – Center for Nuclear Environmental Eng. Sciences and Radioactive Waste Management

                                              CEI – Clemson Environmental Institute  

2021 Clemson Major Research Instrumentation (CU-MRI) Award Winners

CU-MRI: A Low Field, Benchtop Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer for Characterization of Natural Organic Matter and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in agroecosystems - A Rapid Analytical Tool at an Experimental Station

PI: Dr. Alex Chow              Department of Forestry and Environment al Conservation

The project team consists of:

Two faculty                               Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences

One faculty                               Department of Agricultural Sciences

One faculty                               Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences


CU-MRI: Acquisition of common-use equipment for quality control, optimization and quantification for Next Generation Sequencing

PI: Dr. Christopher L. Parkinson             Department of Biological Sciences

The project team consists of:

One faculty                               Department of Genetics and Biochemistry

One faculty                               Department of Bioengineering

One faculty                               Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences

One faculty                               Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences

2020 Clemson Major Research Instrumentation (CU-MRI) Award Winners

CU-MRI: Acquisition of the Seahorse metabolic analyzer for supporting live-cell metabolism research at Clemson University

PI: Dr. Zhicheng Dou               Department of Biological Sciences

The project team consists of:

Five faculty                                 Department of Genetics and Biochemistry

Three faculty                               Department of Biological Sciences


CU-MRI: Jordan Hall Live Imaging Inverted Confocal Microscope

PI: Dr. David M. Feliciano               Department of Biological Sciences

The project team consists of:

Five faculty                               Department of Biological Sciences

One faculty                               Department of Bioengineering

One faculty                               Department of Physics and Astronomy

One faculty                               Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering


CU-MRI: Powder XRD Instrument

PI: Dr. Joseph Kolis               Department of Chemistry

The project team consists of:

Two faculty                               Department of Chemistry

One faculty                               Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

One faculty                               Materials Science and Engineering

One faculty                               Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences


CU-MRI: Power Device Analyzer

PI: Dr. Zheyu Zhang               Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

The project team consists of:

Eight faculty                             Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

One faculty                               School of Computing

One faculty                               Department of Automotive Engineering

2019 Clemson Major Research Instrumentation (CU-MRI) Award Winners

CU-MRI: Procurement of a Pneumatic Ram for the Research of Severe Impact Scenarios

PI: Dr. Jean Desjardins               Department of Bioengineering

The project team consists of:

Two faculty                               Department of Mechanical Engineering

One faculty                               Department of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Science

One faculty                               Department of Materials Science and Engineering

One faculty                               School of Architecture


CU MRI: Acquisition of an LC/MS/MS to Enhance Research Opportunities in Characterization and Remediation of Trace Organic Contaminants

PI: Dr. David Freedman         Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences

The project team consists of:

Three faculty                            Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences


CU-MRI: Multifunctional In-Situ TEM Holder for Hitachi Electron Microscopes

PI: Dr. Kai He                        Department of Materials Science & Engineering

The project team consists of:

Five faculty                             Department of Materials Science & Engineering

Three faculty                           Department of Physics and Astronomy

Two faculty                             Department of Mechanical Engineering

One faculty                             Department of Chemistry

One faculty                             Electron Microscopy Facility


CU MRI: Acquisition of New Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry and Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectrometry systems with a coupled Laser Ablation Stage

PI: Dr. Brian Powell                 Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences

The project team consists of:

One faculty                              Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences                   

Center Affiliations                    NEESRWM – Center for Nuclear Environmental Eng. Sciences and Radioactive Waste Mgmt.     

                                              CEI – Clemson Environmental Institute  


CU MRI: Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography (FPLC)

PI: Dr. Hugo Sanabria           Department of Physics and Astronomy

The project team consists of:

Three faculty                           Department of Physics and Astronomy

Three faculty                           Department of Bioengineering

One faculty                             Department of Genetics and Biochemistry

One faculty                             Department of Chemistry

One faculty                             Department of Biological Sciences

One faculty                             Department of Materials Science and Engineering

One faculty                             Department of Mechanical Engineering

Center Affiliation                      Clemson University Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC)

                                              South Carolina Center for Translational Research Improving Musculoskeletal Health (SC-TRIMH)

                                              Clemson Light Imaging Facility

2018 Clemson Major Research Instrumentation (CU-MRI) Award Winners

Acquisition of a Nano-Flow Liquid Chromatography System and the Associated Nano-Flow Ionization Interface to Enhance the Research and Teaching Infrastructure in Proteomics

PI: Dr. Nishanth Tharayil      Department of Plant & Environmental Sciences

The project team consists of:

Four faculty                            Department of Plant & Environmental Sciences

Three faculty                          Department of Genetics & Biochemistry

One faculty                            Department of Biological Sciences

One faculty                            Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

One faculty                            Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences


Modular Parallel Bioreactor System for Biomanufacturing Process Control

PI: Dr. Jordan Gilmore         Department of Bioengineering

The project team consists of:

One faculty                            Department of Automotive Engineering

One faculty                            Department of Bioengineering

One faculty                            Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

One faculty                            Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering


HP Jet Fusion Full Color 3D Printing to Enhance Research and Education Across Clemson University

PI: Dr. Timothy Pruett         Department of Machining & Technical Services

The project team consists of:

One faculty                            Department of Machining & Technical Services


Revitalizing Research and Demonstration Abilities for Sandhill Research and Education Center

PI: Dr. William Heaton        Department of Forestry & Environmental Conservation

The project team consists of:

Two faculty                           Sandhills Research



2017 Clemson Major Research Instrumentation (CU-MRI) Award Winners

CU MRI: Microscale Thermophoresis


PI: Dr. Joshua Alper          Department of Physics & Astronomy

 
The project team consists of:

Seven faculty                      Department of Genetics & Biochemistry

Three faculty                       Department of Physics & Astronomy

Four faculty                         Department of Biological Sciences

Two faculty                          Department of Chemistry

One faculty                          Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Precision Solution Calorimeter for Advanced Thermodynamic Characterization


PI: Dr. Kyle Brinkman       Department of Materials Science & Engineering

 
The project team consists of:

One faculty                      Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences

One faculty                      Department of Materials Science & Engineering

Acquisition of a Droplet Digital PCR System (ddPCR)


PI: Dr. Miriam Konkel      Department of Genetics & Biochemistry

 
The project team consists of:

Six faculty                      Department of Genetics & Biochemistry

Twelve faculty                 Department of Biological Sciences

One faculty                     Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Two faculty                     Department of Bioengineering

Two faculty                     Department of Plant & Environmental Engineering

One faculty                     School of Nursing

UAV-based LiDAR and Hyperspectral Sensors to Enable Clemson Research and Education

Across Clemson University

PI: Dr. Christopher Post      Department of Forestry & Environmental Conservation

 
The project team consists of:

One faculty                           Department of Agricultural Sciences

Two faculty                           Department of Forestry & Environmental Conservation

One faculty                           Department of Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences

One faculty                           Department of Physics & Astronomy

One faculty                           Department of Automotive Engineering


Next Generation Sequencing at CU to Advance Research and Education


PI: Dr. Christopher Saski     Department of Genetics & Biochemistry


The project team consists of:

Thirteen faculty                      Department of Genetics & Biochemistry

Four faculty                           Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences

Ten faculty                             Department of Biological Sciences

Three faculty                         Department of Plant & Environmental Sciences

One faculty                            Department of Computer Science

Three faculty                          Clemson University Genomics & Computational Biology Laboratory

One faculty                            Department of Automotive Engineering

Two faculty                            Department of Bioengineering

Two faculty                            Department of Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences

One faculty                            Department of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences

Two faculty                            Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering