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New Laboratories for Clarkson's Center for Air Resources Engineering and Science

Clarkson has recently constructed new analytical laboratory space for its Center for Air Resources Engineering and Science (CARES), which is directed by Professors Philip Hopke and Goodarz Ahmadi. Clarkson is a major partner in the Environmental Quality Systems Center headquartered at Syracuse University ( http://eqs.syr.edu ). This Center has been initiated by a $15,000,000 grant from the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR). The new laboratories include separate facilities for each major instrument as well as inorganic and organic sample preparation facilities. A temperature and humidity controlled weighing room has been constructed that will provide an environment that meets EPA requirements for filter weighing. The mercury laboratory has an air supply that is filtered through activated charcoal and a HEPA filter to ensure low blank valued measurement. Rooms are also available for working with light sensitive compounds. A Spectro Lab-X 2000 energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence system has been delivered and is being tested and calibrated. The order has been placed with Thermo Electron for an inductively couple plasma/mass spectrometer, a gas chromatograph / mass spectrometer (GC/MS), and a liquid chromatograph / mass spectrometer (LC/MS). The GC/MS and LC/MS has ion trap mass spectrometers so they have the capability of multiple mass spectrometric analysis. These units will be delivered later this year and will provide state-of-the-art analytical capability for the campus. A Director for the Analytical Laboratory, Dr. Kaisheng Jiao, will be joining the Center in January 2004. His expertise is in organic analysis with particular emphasis on LC/MS. This focus is timely since there is much interest in the carbonaceous fraction of the ambient aerosol composition and much of this material cannot be separated by gas chromatography.

Government Representatives Visit CAMP

From left: Senior University Professor Richard Partch, CAMP Deputy Director Edward McNamara, Kathy Wise (Director of Programs for the New York State Office of Science, Technology, and Academic Research), and Chris Mathey (Government and Community Affairs Liaison for Representative John McHugh).

In July Kathy Wise, Director of Programs for the New York State Office of Science, Technology, and Academic Research, and Chris Mathey, Government and Community Affairs Liaison for Representative John McHugh ( whose congressional district which includes Potsdam is one of the largest in the eastern United States) visited CAMP. Vice Provost/CAMP Director S.V. Babu briefed the visitors about progress on ongoing research, promising new research initiatives for manufacturers and, in particular, a government client who is investing $1.5 million in one sponsored research project. Senior University Professor Richard Partch and Professor Dan Goia are the research team leaders on a U.S. Army project to develop next generation obscurant smoke systems for use in hiding troop and equipment movements or initiating deception tactics. Congressman McHugh serves on the House Armed Services Committee and represents the men and women at one of America's new and largest Army posts. The CAMP guests concluded their visit with a tour of the nearby Corning Incorporated Canton plant. This plant has benefitted from CAMP research that has been incorporated into their manufacturing systems, which produce glass used in NASA space shuttles.

CAMP Sponsors its Eighth International Symposium on Chemical-Mechanical Polishing (CMP)

CAMP held its Eighth International Symposium on Chemical-Mechanical Polishing during the month of August. It took place at the Hilton Resort in Lake Placid, NY from August 10 - 13, 2003. This successful meeting had attendees from many different Countries and was Co-Chaired by Vice Provost/CAMP Director S.V. Babu, Dr. Michael Oliver (Rodel), Dr. Robert Her (Ferro), and Dr. Manabu Tsujimura (Ebara Corporation). It included presentations by industrial and university representatives and a poster session displaying CAMP's research activities on CMP.

Co-Chairs of the Eighth International Symposium on Chemical-Mechanical Polishing. From left: Dr. Robert Her (Ferro), Dr. Manabu Tsujimura (Ebara Corporation), Vice Provost/CAMP Director S.V. Babu, and Dr. Michael Oliver (Rodel).