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Research Infrastructure Page
Faculty and students in the Department of Environmental Science (ENV) routinely engage in interdisciplinary research, which is supported by several core laboratories located in the Baylor University Sciences Building (www.baylor.edu/bsb).
1. Aquatic Sciences
ENV faculty are affiliated wit the Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research (CRASR). CRASR maintains a core water science laboratory that is managed by Mr. Jeff Back (http://www.baylor.edu/crasr). This laboratory operates under a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved Quality Management Plan. It supports analysis of traditional water quality parameters such as nutrients and total organic carbon.
CRASR is a partnership between Baylor University and the City of Waco Water Utilities. Evidence of this fruitful partnership is the Lake Waco Wetland facility (http://www.baylor.edu/lakewaco_wetlands). This facility includes a 1,500 sq. ft. wet lab for research. In collaboration with Drs. Ryan King and Robert Doyle at Baylor, Dr. Bryan Brooks recently developed a world class outdoor experimental stream mesocosm facility at the Lake Waco Wetlands.
ENV has a long history examining water quality issues associated with wastewater discharges. The Baylor Wastewater Research Program (BWRP) represents one of the most unique research facilities for studying wastewater technology and quality in the United States. It is located at the Waco Metropolitan Area Regional Sewerage System (WMARSS) site just a few miles south of campus.
2. Mass Spectrometry Core Facility
State-of-the-science mass spectrometry instrumentation (e.g., GC-MSMS, LC-MSMS, LTQ Orbitrap, ICP-MS) is routinely utilized for various research projects. Dr. Alejandro J. Ramirez, whose expertise is analysis of trace environmental contaminants in various matrices, manages this facility (http://www.baylor.edu/bsb/index.php?id=52353).
3. Molecular Biosciences Center
The Molecular Biosciences Center supports interdisciplinary research in the areas of molecular biology and biomedical studies. It is managed by Dr. Michelle Nemec. For example, state-of-the-science confocal microscopy, sequencing, rtPCR and flow cytometry instrumentation is located in this multiuser facility.
