Scanning Electron Microscope facility at the University of Derby video transcript

My name is Dr Graham Souch and I manage the electron microscopy facility here in the College of Life and Natural Sciences at the University of Derby [Close up of item magnified by the scanner].

We have here a Tescan 3 scanning electron microscope, and this is used to magnify specimens from a low magnification at very high magnification using a depth of field that enables us to see the whole sample with high resolution [students working on the computers analysing date from the scanner]. Couple to that we can zoom in on special features and look to see whether there's any differences structurally, but also from a compositional point of view as well [items being placed in to the microscope]. If we're looking at something like a whole insect [extreme close up of a fly] then we can magnify to a part of that insect, we can then use that to investigate comparisons between different species and how they correspond.

One of the main benefits of this machine here at the University of Derby is that this is accessible to all, so from undergraduate level, through to researchers, through to commercial usage [student and academic working on computers]. Anybody can come and use this and be trained if necessary [close up of data on the computer screen]. We train those students, those academics, those staff to use this machine so they can use it independently to investigate their own samples. From a commercial point of view as well, often they want somebody who's an expert to use this machine, but equally they could be trained to use this machine themselves and then come at their own time [Scanning Electron Microscope in action].

Here at the University of Derby we're able to accommodate any type of client, from a small business, to a large company, [list of significant areas the microscope can be used for: Engineering, Forensics, science, geology, medical and environmental sciences], whether they've got an overflow of samples that they need to look at on a short and long term basis, we can prioritise their booking so that that work is carried out quicker than perhaps other places can.

From a scientists point of view, and personally from my own point of view, this is an incredible piece of kit, it's an incredible piece of science and it is pure science at its most advanced, it is something whereby you are investigating something that you were previously not seeing, now whether that's from a commercial point of view, or whether it's more a research point of view, or from a student point of view, each and every sample is different and what you find out leads to further questions and that is what science is.

Scanning Electron Microscope facility at the University of Derby video

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