The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) was awarded a $434,723 Project Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) Equipment Grants Program (CFDA 10.519). This award supports the acquisition of a micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) machine to enable 3D X-ray imaging of biological samples and advance fundamental agricultural research at UCSB. The micro-CT instrument will be integrated into a shared-use imaging facility at UCSB, strengthening the university's imaging infrastructure and opening new avenues for collaboration with local extension and agricultural industry partners. The micro-CT system will be used to non-destructively visualize changes in internal structures and biological processes of pollinators, crop plants, and soils over time and in response to environmental stressors. This project aims to extend UCSB's capacity as a center of pollinator research by enabling internal imaging of rare and fragile specimens in its natural history collections and at collaborating entomological collections across the country. The award period runs from Sep 15, 2024 to Sep 14, 2028.
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