Zeus donates transmission electron microscope to SC State University

The technology will help students and researchers see details significantly smaller than those seen using light microscopes.

ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Zeus Industrial Products Inc. has donated an electron microscope to South Carolina State University’s Department of Biological and Physical Sciences (BAPS), enhancing the university’s teaching and research capabilities.
 
“As SC State moves closer to achieving Research 2 Institution classification, having vital equipment like this transmission electron microscope available to our faculty and students is a big piece of the puzzle,” SC State President Alexander Conyers said. “I thank our friends at Zeus for being such excellent corporate partners and supporting our missions in teaching and research.”
 
A transmission electron microscope uses an accelerated electron beam that passes through a thin specimen. Scientists can observe particles at significantly higher magnification and resolution compared to the capability of a traditional light microscope. The technology is used by scientists who study cancer and other diseases, viruses, environmental science, botany, nanotechnology, semiconductors, polymers, and more.
 
“The faculty, staff and students in the Department of Biological and Physical Sciences are extremely grateful to Zeus Industries for this donation,” said Dr. Judith D. Salley, department chair. “The addition of this microscope to our Biorepository not only expands the department's research infrastructure, but it also gives faculty and undergraduate students an additional tool to use as they investigate innovative biomedical projects.
 
“This is the second major donation from Zeus Industries to the BAPS department.  Previously, they were instrumental in donating supplies to the department's Common User Laboratory in Leroy Davis Hall,” Salley said.
 

Zeus representatives Donald Harmon and Anthony Rivers set up the transmission electron microscope at SC State’s Leroy Davis Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 21, and provided a startup tutorial to Dr. James B. Stukes, an SC State professor of biology; Dr. Donald Walter, an SC State professor of physics; and Nicole D. Simpson, a program assistant in biological sciences.
 
The polymer extrusion company, which has a research and development facility in Orangeburg, had used the electron microscope for about 12 years in its quality control processes.
 
“We used it to test material samples to make sure the material was to our specifications,” said Harmon, instrumentation calibration tech at Zeus. “I reached out to South Carolina State to see if there was a need for the equipment.
 
“Zeus was upgrading to another piece of equipment, but this equipment was still good and working, so if someone could use and it filled a need, why not South Carolina State?” Harmon said.
 
Stukes said the university had an electron microscope in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but it was no longer operational. The donated transmission electron microscope will be used by students and researchers in biology, chemistry and physics.
 
“So, we were very excited when Zeus contacted us saying they would like to donate a Hitachi transmission electron microscope to be used by our faculty, staff and students,” Stukes said. “It will allow us to look at microscopic samples. It will allow us to see fibers, tissues and structures on cells that we could not see before without this type of microscope.”
 
“We have been teaching about the microscope in our coursework, but now we can actually see it and the students can actually use it,” he said. “With the research articles they publish they will be able to have the actual samples to visualize.”