The following are brief descriptions of the projects (taken directly from the original proposals) selected for Research Infrastructure Investment Program awards in 2025. These awards are designed to facilitate interdisciplinary partnerships and strengthen the University’s research infrastructure. One-to-one matching funds from the collaborating colleges, institutes and/or centers were required for funding eligibility.
Developing Biorepository Infrastructure at the Bell Museum
Keith Barker, CBS Ecology, Evolution, Behavior, College of Biological Sciences
Matching funds: College of Food, Ag & Natural Resources Science
The Bell Museum, founded in 1872, is Minnesota’s state natural history museum and charged with studying, stewarding, and growing a scientific collection of more than 1.2 million biological specimens. The Bell seeks to enhance its focus on supporting collections-based research and infrastructure by updating cryostorage facilities for genetic resources. Currently, the museum’s cryopreserved specimens are scattered across multiple, inadequate freezers, increasing the risk of degradation and complicating management. We are establishing a centralized liquid nitrogen vapor storage facility, ensuring optimal long-term viability of specimens critical for research in diverse fields ranging from toxicology to disease ecology. Here, we request support for one liquid nitrogen freezer and associated support equipment and labor. This upgrade aligns with the museum’s strategic goals and leverages significant state and federal investments to support the growth of the Bell’s scientific collections by modernizing collections infrastructure and promoting research accessibility. Institutional support will ensure the facility's long-term impact, making the Bell Museum a vital biobank for biodiversity and other research. As genetic resources hold promise for addressing a variety of societal challenges, this project will affirm the Bell as Minnesota’s official museum of natural history and extend its impact regionally and globally.
Electron Beam Lithography System to Support Excellence in Nanotechnology Research at the Minnesota Nano Center
Sarah Swisher, CSENG ECE Admin, College of Science & Engineering
Matching funds: College of Science & Engineering; College of Science & Engineering; College of Science & Engineering; College of Science & Engineering; College of Science & Engineering; College of Science & Engineering
This application requests partial support to purchase an Elionix ELS-BODEN 100 Electron Beam Lithography system. The ELS-BODEN 100 is a high-speed, ultra-high precision 100 keV electron beam lithography system designed for research applications. It can write patterns as small as 6 nm and has a beam positioning resolution of 0.1 nm. This system can accommodate small sample pieces, or it can process full wafers up to 200 mm in diameter, facilitating collaborations with industry. The capability to fabricate small nanodevices with such precision is a requirement in many areas of semiconductor technology, electronics, biosensing, photonics, magnetics, and quantum computing. This system will be installed at the Minnesota Nano Center (MNC), a state-of-the-art facility for interdisciplinary research in nanoscience. At the MNC it will be available to hundreds of individual users. This proposal highlights a broad range of research projects across many departments that will benefit from this equipment. The total purchase price is $1.75 million, and the amount of funding requested from RIO is $858,333. (Note that here we have identified a less expensive tool from a different manufacturer than what we indicated in our Letter of Intent.)