Congressman Pete Visclosky announced today that the National Science Foundation (NSF) will award Valparaiso University with a grant under their Major Research Instrumentation and Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities programs.
The award totals $223,753, and will support the acquisition of an ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) instrument. According to Valparaiso University, the UHPLC instrument separates components of liquid mixtures and offers multiple options for the detection and measurement of the components. One of the areas of research that this award will focus on is the study of the water in Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes water system. The data generated will have significant impacts toward addressing environmental challenges, improving wastewater treatment technologies, and progressing processes for water reuse. While the UHPLC instrument will be located on the Valparaiso University campus, students and faculty from neighboring and collaborating institutions, including Ivy Tech and Indiana University Northwest, will also be involved in the new research.
“We are very excited about the acquisition,” said Dr. Julie Peller of Valparaiso University. “The instrument will allow for the expansion of current research and for the capability to venture into new research projects.”
“I applaud Dr. Peller and the faculty of Valparaiso University for their pursuit of federal funding to support research into one of the world’s greatest national resources - Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes water system,” said Congressman Visclosky. “Water is essential to our lives and livelihoods, and I am pleased that the people at Valparaiso University are using their great talents to further our ability to understand and preserve water for the betterment of all of us.”
For additional information on the NSF award, please visit their website here.
