ASU Physics Department Receives National Equipment Grant

The equipment consists of four germanium detectors, and is being awarded to Williams through the DOE’s Energy Related Laboratory Equipment (ERLE) grant program. The detectors will support student and faculty research in the ASU Physics Department.

According to Williams, two of the detectors will be used in the atomic collisions lab, another in the X-ray fluorescence lab and the fourth in modern physics and applied radiation physics courses. Students and faculty will utilize the detectors for research related to accelerator experiments, X-ray detection, fluorescence, geological material composition, and atomic and nuclear radiating processes, among other topics.

ERLE equipment grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The available equipment database is updated daily on the ERLE website. Grant applicants are required to submit an online application form and brief proposal describing how the equipment will be used.

The ERLE grant program was established by the DOE to provide available excess of used energy-related laboratory equipment to U.S. middle schools, high schools, universities, colleges, junior colleges, technical institutes, museums and hospitals for use in energy oriented educational programs. The program is sponsored by the Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists.

For more information, call the ASU Physics Department at 325-942-2242. More information on the ERLE grant program is available online at www.osti.gov/erle/index.jsp.