MSU faculty members secure grant for region’s first advanced scanning electron microscope

Contact: Camille Carskadon

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State’s Institute for Imaging and Analytical Technologies soon will be home to a scanning electron microscope so advanced that it will be the first of its kind in the region and one of less than 10 in North America.

MSU has been awarded more than $700,000 through a Major Research Instrumentation grant from the National Science Foundation, enabling the university’s acquisition of the cutting-edge tool. Installation of the new SEM is scheduled to be completed in early 2026 at the institute, also known as I2AT, located in MSU’s Thad Cochran Research, Technology and Economic Development Park.

MSU Swalm School of Chemical Engineering Professor and Southern Ionics Chair Santanu Kundu said the investment will significantly boost the university’s research capabilities across multiple disciplines, providing advanced high-resolution imaging essential for various fields.

“The acquisition of the microscope represents a substantial advancement in Mississippi State’s facilities and enables significant improvements in the quality and scope of research conducted on campus,” Kundu said.

He serves as principal investigator for the project “Acquisition of a High-Resolution Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) with Integrated EDS and EBSD for Multiscale Materials Characterization.” Kundu leads a multidisciplinary team that includes Mahesh Gangishetty, assistant professor in MSU’s physics and chemistry departments; Lauren Priddy, associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering; Matthew Priddy, associate professor in the Hall School of Mechanical Engineering; and Colleen Scott, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry.

The new SEM is designed to support a wide range of research, enabling scientists to conduct high-resolution imaging with a level of detail as small as 0.7 nanometers, which is essential for advancing next-generation research in materials science and engineering. Through integrated energy dispersive spectroscopy and electron backscatter diffraction, the instrument will accelerate innovation in research areas, such soft materials, optoelectronic nanomaterials, composites, biomaterials, additively manufactured metals and metal alloys.

“Its precision and reliability will accelerate innovation in emerging technologies, and our students will gain valuable industry-related skills that align with Mississippi’s growing need for high-tech talent,” said Tonia Lane, I2AT director.

MSU’s I2AT provides students with practical training in advanced imaging and analytical methods, preparing them for careers in science and technology. State-of-the-art instrumentation combined with expert support enables groundbreaking research, strengthens industry collaborations and contributes to economic development across Mississippi.

MSU’s Bagley College of Engineering is online at www.bagley.msstate.edu and can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube at @msuengineering.

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