MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of a 3D X-Ray Computer Tomography Scanner for Multidisciplinary Research and Education

About This Grant

This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award facilitates the acquisition of a high-resolution micro-computed tomography scanner to address the growing educational and research needs at George Mason University and collaborating institutions. This instrument provides detailed three-dimensional images of objects, including their internal structure, at the micrometer scale, and can be used to image a wide range of materials, such as metals, polymers, biological tissues, sedimentary formations, and paleontological specimens. It will enable advanced research across a broad diversity of disciplines, from materials science and biological research to archaeological studies, ultimately resulting in higher-quality products and improved medical care. The instrument will also enhance education across the disciplines of materials science, biomedical engineering, and mechanical engineering, and it will support research leading to master’s and doctoral-level theses. Through outreach to local high school students, the instrument will encourage them to gain a deeper understanding of science, engineering, and mathematics, enabling them to make more informed career choices. The researched micro-computed tomography instrument will include three operational modes, allowing for the inspection of a wide range of materials, including light and dense samples, at a resolution of 3 μm isotropic pixel size and 5 μm resolution in 3D. Initially, faculty from seven departments: Mechanical Engineering; Bioengineering; Geography and Geoinformation Science; Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering; Mathematical Sciences; Biology; and Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences, will use this instrument to pursue research objectives, including: (a) measuring manufacturing mismatches between the design and fabrication of additively manufactured cellular metamaterials, ultimately leading to improved part design; (b) imaging internal structural anomalies caused by surface treatments in additively manufactured metals, reducing part failures; (c) characterizing creep mineralization processes at the cartilage-bone interface following injury, contributing to better injury treatments; and (d) measuring functional connectivity in deep-brain structures to investigate neurodegenerative diseases in small-animal models. Instrument time will be allocated by an operations oversight committee consisting of seven members chosen to represent the involved disciplines. The committee will also be responsible for promoting instrument use by collaborating institutions, thereby expanding access to a wider research community. 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.