Exploring Cutting Edge Research Tools at Merrimack College

On Thursday, November 7, students enrolled in AP Chemistry and Honors Forensic Science spent the morning exploring cutting edge research facilities and tools at Merrimack College within the Shared Instrumentation and Research Facility, including the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Lab.

Thank you to AP Chemistry Teacher Mrs. Julie Parsons '06 and Honors Forensic Science Teacher Ms. Bridgette Bolduc for making this experience possible.

The Shared Instrumentation & Research Facility (SIRF) at Merrimack College

Merrimack College officially opened the Shared Instrumentation and Research Facility (SIRF), a state-of-the-art applied life sciences research space in Palmisano Hall, on June 6 of this year.

Located in Palmisano Hall, the 7,000-square-foot SIRF is a hub for Merrimack faculty and students, as well as industry partners, to conduct research in biology, chemistry and other life sciences.

The SIRF is a designated incubator that provides faculty and students the space and equipment to conduct tests, experiments and projects. Among the features of the space is its physical flexibility to support research across different disciplines. Lab spaces housed in the SIRF include a biotechnology lab, a molecular analysis lab and a plant culture lab.

This state-of-the-art life sciences training center provides the tools, curricula and real-world opportunities to give current and future undergraduate students a head start in their career aspirations.

The instrumentation in the training lab includes a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) instrument, which is used to identify the molecular structure of a compound, and a high-pressure liquid chromatography instrument, which separates and identifies the compounds that make up a sample.

Lab resources also include Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectroscopy instruments and PCR (polymerase chain reaction) instruments.

Thank you to Merrimack College for providing this invaluable experience to our students!