Hitachi SEM Microscope Inspires Nanotech Students

Students enrolled in Introduction to Nanotechnology at West Los Angeles College (WLAC) took advantage of a rare opportunity to zoom into the “small world” of the micro- and nanoscales. Twelve students in today’s class had the unique opportunity to learn how to operate a scanning electron microscope (SEM), a powerful microscope used in many modern labs.

The SEM comes with various samples of insects and minerals. However, students are always fascinated when they image their own samples. Students learned how to prepare samples, load them into a special vacuum staging area, and acquire images of their microscopic and nanoscopic details.

We would like to thank the Hitachi Inspire STEM Education Program for lending us the SEM. Without this program, most community college students would not have the opportunity to use such cutting-edge, sophisticated microscopy equipment.