About the Lab

Scanning electron microscopy was brought to the Ohio Wesleyan University campus in October of 1996, in cooperation with the Botany/Microbiology, Geology/Geography, and Zoology departments.  The laboratory was named after George W. Burns (d. 1994) who was a professor of botany (1946-1979), Vice President and Dean (1957-1961) and the Acting President (1958-1959) at Ohio Wesleyan.  The microscope is named "Big George" after him.  Gordon and Helen Crider Smith ('54/'56), were very fond of Dr. Burns and wanted to name the microscope after him.  Money was given to fund the microscope by the Smiths, Graham 'Deck' Stewart ('27), and the National Science Foundation.  Dr. Laura Tuhela-Reuning, assistant professor and SEM technician, is the director of the lab and instructor of the SEM Theory and Practice class.

Ohio Wesleyan has the LEO 435VP SEM, an Oxford CT1500 cryo preparation system, and an Oxford ISIS System for energy dispersive spectrometry in its laboratory.  Scanning electron microscopy is better than light microscopy for a variety of reasons.  One example of this is the extraordinary resolution of SEM imaging.  Resolution with a light microscope is 0.0002 mm while with a scanning electron microscope it is 0.000000001 mm, a significant difference.  This fact enables pictures to be crystal clear and very detailed even with the lowest magnification.  Another benefit is higher magnification.  A light microscope can magnify an object up to 1,000X, while the scanning electron microscope may go up to 400,000X.  This magnification is rarely used though because of the loss of resolution.

With the move into the newly built Schimmel Conrades Science Center, the SEM lab has grown immensely.  A new sample preparation lab also accompanies Big George's new home.  The lab, located at SCSC 157, is open to everyone from Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm, by appointment.