Electron Microscopy UMass Amherst

W.M. Keck Electron Microscopy Laboratory is a part of the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center and the Silvio O. Conte National Center for Polymer Research at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. It is equipped with several transmission electron microscopes, scanning electron microscopes and related sample preparation equipment for the use of the UMass community as well as people from outside the University.

The mission of the Keck Electron Microscopy Laboratory is to provide access to material characterization equipment, technical support, training and consultation, as well as to perform a range of services for users in the area of electron microscopy. The laboratory capabilities include high-resolution imaging of materials structure, compositional analysis, analysis of crystallographic and electronic structure, etc.

The W. M. Keck Electron Microscopy Laboratory was established in 1994 through the combined efforts of Samuel P. Gido (then assistant professor of Polymer Science & Engineering), William J. MacKnight (then head of Polymer Science & Engineering), Joseph I. Goldstein (then Dean of Engineering). Major funding to establish the Center and acquire major instrumentation was obtained from the National Science Foundation, the United States Army Research Office, the Gillette Company, and the W. M. Keck Foundation. Since its founding the Keck Electron Microscopy Center has served the polymers and materials research communities at the University of Massachusetts, the Five Colleges, and beyond in Industry and Academia.