Equipment: empowering stem education through advanced laboratory equipment at csudh

The National Science Foundation's Division of Undergraduate Education awarded $199,914 under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to California State University, Dominguez Hills on October 1, 2025, for an educational instrumentation project designed to strengthen undergraduate biophysics education. The project will procure advanced laboratory equipment including an atomic force microscope (AFM), optical tweezers, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) spectrometer, Raman spectrometer, and electrophoresis equipment. These instruments will be integrated into a biophysics shared research facility and deployed across four core courses: BPH 330 (Biological Physics), BPH 340 (Experimental Biophysics), BPH 460 (Advanced Microscopy), and BPH 475 (Quantum Biology). The equipment acquisition will enable approximately 100 CSUDH undergraduate students annually to develop practical laboratory skills and conduct cutting-edge research, with direct applications to nanotechnology and molecular-level scientific inquiry.

Beyond direct undergraduate instruction, the project will provide secondary benefits through mentoring opportunities for CSUDH students and exposure to advanced scientific research for high school students. By equipping students with hands-on experience using industry-standard instrumentation, the initiative aims to prepare participants for competitive careers in STEM fields while supporting the institution's mission as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. The project timeline extends through September 30, 2026.

Abstract

With support from the improving undergraduate stem education: hispanic-serving institutions (HSI program), this educational instrumentation project at california state university-dominguez hills (csudh) will strengthen undergraduate learning in biophysics. Specifically, this project will secure atomic force microscope (AFM), optical tweezers, spectrometer for laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (libs), raman spectrometer, and electrophoresis equipment which will allow students to develop practical skills gained from working with these advanced instruments in BPH 330: biological physics, BPH 340: experimental biophysics, BPH 460: advanced microscopy, and BPH 475: quantum biology, preparing them for future academic and professional opportunities in competitive stem fields. An estimated 100 students will utilize the project-funded equipment each year. The integration of advanced instruments in the biophysics shared research facility will directly benefit approximately 100 csudh students annually through hands-on training in key laboratory courses and research projects. The initiative will also provide high school students with exposure to advanced scientific research while offering leadership and mentoring experience to csudh students. The goals of this project are to enrich the learning and experiences of undergraduate students by providing critical equipment in biophysics. The integration of high-caliber instruments such as the atomic force microscope, electrophoresis equipment, raman spectrometer, and optical tweezers into the curriculum will transform how biophysical concepts are taught and researched. The new equipment will enable both faculty and students to undertake more ambitious and cutting-edge research projects. Equipment such as the atomic force microscope will allow researchers to observe and manipulate molecules at the atomic level, a critical tool in nanotechnology research. The project will assess the impact of the project funded equipment using pre- and post-assessment tools to measure mastery of techniques and concepts related to equipment use. Long-term outcomes will be tracked using key metrics such as student retention, graduation rates, and professional placements. Surveys will gather data from alumni on graduate school enrollment, employment, and research achievements. This project is funded by the HSI program, which aims to enhance undergraduate stem education and increase capacity to engage in the development and implementation of innovations to improve stem teaching and learning at hsis. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.