Funding will advance undergraduate research with state-of-the-art FTIR spectroscopy system
HELENA, MT — Carroll College is proud to announce that Dr. Rebecca Coates, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, has been awarded a $50,000 Infrastructure Grant from the Montana IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE). The funding will support the purchase of a new FTIR spectroscopy system, an important piece of scientific equipment that will strengthen both teaching and hands-on student research.
The proposal – Enhancing Undergraduate Research and Teaching through Modern FTIR Spectroscopy – was selected through a highly competitive statewide review process. The remaining funds needed to complete the purchase will be provided through a donor gift designated for new instrumentation in the Chemistry Department.
“We are incredibly grateful for INBRE’s support,” said Dr. Coates. “This new instrument will give our students access to an advanced system with a wider range of measurements and higher resolution than we’ve ever had before. It will expand the types of research questions we can explore together and provide students with meaningful, real-world scientific experience.”
The new system replaces an aging instrument that has served Carroll’s Chemistry program for more than a decade. With upgraded capabilities, the equipment will allow students in courses such as Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Instrumental Analysis, and the senior capstone (Integrated Lab) to gather higher-quality data and work with the same tools commonly used in today’s research and industry laboratories.
Around a hundred Carroll students use FTIR analysis each year through both coursework and faculty-mentored research projects. The new system will support ongoing student work in areas such as chemical synthesis, reaction monitoring, and materials analysis, while opening doors for new types of projects and collaborations.
“This award strengthens Carroll’s commitment to providing students with immersive, high-impact learning opportunities,” said Dr. Jennifer Glowienka, Carroll College Co-President. “We are thankful to Montana INBRE for investing in our faculty and in the research experiences that prepare our students so well for graduate school, medical school, and scientific careers.”
Dr. Coates’s award adds to the momentum of recent INBRE-funded investments at Carroll, including new equipment in genome sequencing and molecular spectroscopy awarded earlier this year to faculty members in Biology and Chemistry.
Together, these grants enhance Carroll College’s growing research capacity and underscore the college’s commitment to providing undergraduate students with exceptional access to modern scientific tools and learning experiences.
For more information about undergraduate research at Carroll College, visit www.carroll.edu.
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