TA Instruments, a renowned manufacturer of high-technology equipment, recently gave equipment to Penn State’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering to outfit two new departmental laboratories, the TA Instruments Polymer Rheology Laboratory and the TA Instruments Undergraduate Research Laboratory. Both laboratories will be located in the renovated Steidle Building on the University Park campus.
“We are thrilled with the generous support from TA Instruments. Their gift, which includes state-of-the-art rheometry and thermal analysis instrumentation and software, will be used extensively in undergraduate and graduate education and research,” said Gary Messing, professor and former head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.
“Having cutting-edge equipment will enable our department to conduct innovative research into the next generation of materials,” said Susan Sinnott, head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. “We look forward to working with TA Instruments to employ this suite of critically important analytical tools for the study of materials.”
The gift includes multiple pieces of high-technology equipment used to measure the properties of various materials that are the focus of departmental research. Some of the new equipment will provide an opportunity for researchers to assess material properties at a resolution of under one micron, and other equipment will allow researchers to analyze properties of materials at temperatures ranging from -150 to 600 C. The equipment includes multiple rheometers, which are used to measure the flow of materials; thermal analysis equipment to assess heat flow and weight change of materials; and a mechanical analyzer that will help researchers investigate the viscous and elastic properties of materials.
“TA Instruments is pleased to partner with Penn State’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering as part of our ongoing support of academic research,” said Terry Kelly, president of TA Instruments, who, along with Steven Aubuchon, senior territory manager of TA Instrument’s Mid-Atlantic region, provided the gift on behalf of TA Instruments. “Our state-of-the-art thermal analysis and rheology systems are just a small part of an exciting project to renovate the Steidle Building, but they will play a large role in advancing research into new materials, investigating novel applications of existing materials and developing talented graduates.”
Supporters like TA Instruments are invaluable partners in fulfilling the University's land-grant mission of education, research and service. Private gifts from alumni, friends and corporate partners enrich the experiences of students both in and out of the classroom, expand the research and teaching capacity of our faculty, enhance the University's ability to recruit and retain top students and faculty and help to ensure that students from every economic background have access to a Penn State education. The University's colleges and campuses are now enlisting the support of alumni and friends to advance a range of unit-specific initiatives.