Maine Mineral & Gem Museum

PURPOSE:THE MAINE MINERAL AND GEM MUSEUM WILL USE FUNDS TO PURCHASE INSTRUMENTATION, TO ADVANCE RESEARCH CAPABILITIES AND ESTABLISH A STATE-OF-THE-ART MINERALOGICAL ANALYTICAL FACILITY. THE INSTRUMENTATION WILL ENHANCE THE CAPABILITIES OF THE LABORATORY TO INCLUDE ADVANCING RESEARCH ON PEGMATITE GENESIS, THE ORIGIN OF MAINE GEM MATERIAL, CRITICAL MINERAL RESOURCES AND THE LITHIUM RESOURCE POTENTIAL OF MAINE PEGMATITES. THIS INSTRUMENTATION UPGRADE WILL ALLOW THE MUSEUM TO BETTER ANALYZE AND CHARACTERIZE LITHIUM DEPOSITS AND AID IN THEIR FUTURE EXPLORATION, EXPAND GEOLOGICAL RESEARCH, AND UTILIZE METEORITES TO STUDY THE ORIGINS OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED:THE FUNDS WILL BE USED TO PURCHASE SEVERAL NEW PIECES OF ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTATION, INCLUDING AN ESL IMAGEGEO193 LASER ABLATION SYSTEM WITH ESLUMEN LIBS MODULE (LIGERO TECHNICAL SERVICES, AUSTIN, TX); AN ICP-MS 8900 TRIPLE QUADRUPOLE SYSTEM (AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES, SANTA CLARA, CA); MICRO-RAMAN INSTRUMENT R785 WITH RAMAN SPECTRA DATA BASE (TERASENSE, SAN JOSE, CA); AND A PELCON AUTOMATIC THIN-SECTION MACHINE (PELCON IN SOBORG, DENMARK). THE FUNDING WILL ALSO BE USED TO DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR K-12 STUDENTS. THE GOAL IS FOR ALL TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN OXFORD COUNTY TO VISIT THE MUSEUM. UPGRADING ANALYTICAL EQUIPMENT WILL ALLOW MUSEUM STAFF TO MEASURE LOWER LIMITS OF QUANTIFICATION OF THE ELEMENTS OF INTEREST AND WILL OPEN NEW AVENUES IN THEIR RESEARCH BY MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO USE QUANTITATIVE DATA FOR ELEMENTS NOT PREVIOUSLY ACCESSIBLE DUE TO OUTDATED INSTRUMENTS (THIS WOULD INCLUDE THE LIGHT ELEMENTS LITHIUM, BERYLLIUM AND BORON, WHICH ARE DIFFICULT TO ANALYZE AND HAVE THUS FAR REQUIRED SPECIAL SAMPLE PREPARATION TECHNIQUES FOR ANALYSIS).EXPECTED OUTCOMES:THE GOALS OF THIS EFFORT INCLUDE DEVELOPING AN OUTSTANDING RESEARCH FACILITY THAT WILL BE AMONG SOME OF THE TOP FACILITIES IN THE COUNTRY; CREATING AND IMPLEMENTING RESEARCH AND SCIENCE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG SCIENTISTS VIA THE MUSEUM'S ESTABLISHED INTERNSHIP PROGRAM; CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF SPACE SCIENTISTS, TECHNOLOGISTS, TEACHERS, BUSINESS LEADERS AND POLICY MAKERS BY PROVIDING A HOME FOR ACCESSIBLE SPACE FOR SCIENCE AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES; AND DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR K-12 STUDENTS.INTENDED BENEFICIARIES:THE NEW INSTRUMENTATION WILL HAVE A MUCH BROADER IMPACT ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND WILL SERVE WELL TO FURTHER EDUCATE THE PUBLIC IN THE POWER OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD COUPLED WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART INSTRUMENTATION. THE MUSEUM AND RESEARCH LAB WILL MAXIMIZE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND IMPACT OF RESEARCH TO BUILD, BROADEN AND DEEPEN ITS SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES:NO SUBAWARDS WITH THIS APPLICATION.

THE MAINE MINERAL AND GEM MUSEUM WILL PILOT A VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP PROGRAM DESIGNED TO EXPAND ACCESS TO EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE FOR UNDER-RESOURCED STUDENTS ACROSS RURAL MAINE AND NEW ENGLAND. THE MUSEUM WILL HIRE AN EDUCATION ASSISTANT AND PAID INTERNS TO SUPPORT THE EDUCATION OUTREACH COORDINATOR WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF LESSON PLANS, THE PURCHASE OF TECHNOLOGICAL EQUIPMENT TO CREATE THE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP STUDIO IN THE MUSEUM, AND EFFORTS TO INFORM TEACHERS ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF THE DISTANCE LEARNING RESOURCES. THE PROJECT WILL PRODUCE EIGHT THEMED FIELD TRIP MODULES AND RELATED HANDS-ON STEM ACTIVITIES, ALIGNED WITH STATE SCIENCE STANDARDS AND ADAPTABLE FOR A RANGE OF GRADE LEVELS. THE MUSEUM ANTICIPATES REACHING UP TO 5,000 STUDENTS, AND THE PROJECT TEAM WILL MONITOR PROGRESS THROUGH PILOT TESTING AND ONGOING EVALUATION TO ENSURE THE PROGRAM MEETS THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS.