A Virtual Instrumental Analysis Laboratory (VIAL) for Buffalo State and Open SUNY

This project will develop a Virtual Instrumental Analysis Laboratory (VIAL) for Buffalo State and SUNY campuses. Thanks to a newly built science building, the Department of Chemistry at Buffalo State is now equipped with major up-to-dated analytical instruments for use in advanced chemical analysis, forensic investigation, and materials characterization. We will examine how we might help students and others learn to successfully collect and analyze data obtainable on our analytical instruments. The VIAL platform will initially be used to provide online-based experiences for those who need training before they actually use an advanced instrument. We will assess the effectiveness of the VIAL for students’ gaining knowledge and skills in using the analytical instruments. Furthermore, we will also try to demonstrate that the analytical instruments can be remotely controlled, so that off-campus users can directly benefit from our advanced facilities.