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Core Facilities & Equipment

Facilities

Our work at the Center for Marine Science covers diverse scientific fields and depends heavily on collaboration and sharing both expertise and resources. It takes a proverbial 'village' to address questions about our environment and health of our oceans, sounds and tidal waterways.

Learn more about our research support and core facilities.

Research Support Equipment & Services

The Center for Marine Science operates two unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in support of faculty and student research projects.

The senseFly eBee plus RTK is a fixed-wing drone suitable for mapping large areas and can be outfitted with a variety of imaging sensors. The DJI Phantom 3 Pro is a general purpose quadcopter drone suitable for most mapping applications.

Requests for use are made on a first-come, first-serve basis and the Center reserves the right to limit the number of requests for use based on competing needs, maintenance needs, operating personnel, or safety considerations.

senseFly eBee+ RTK

The senseFly eBee+ RTK is a fixed wing unmanned aerial system capable of high resolution aerial mapping of large areas, while providing survey-grade accuracy. This system can be equipped with one of three camera options during missions:

  • S.O.D.A. - RGB camera capable of high resolution imagery (20 megapixel) at visible wavelengths
  • Parrot Sequoia - multispectral sensor with a 16 MP RGB sensor and 4 monochrome sensors measuring light at 550 nm (green), 660 nm (red), 735 nm (red-edge) and 790 nm (near-infrared)
  • thermoMAP - thermal imaging camera capable of photos and video with high pixel density and thermal resolution

Learn more about senseFly

DJI Phantom 3 Professional Quadcopter Drone

The DJI Phantom 3 Professional quadcopter drone is suitable for mapping applications. It contains a 12 MP RGB camera and is capable of capturing high quality 4K/30 fps video. Mapping missions can be set up using DJI Ground Station pro software.

Learn More About Core Facilities

The CMS Instrument Fabrication Shop operates in support of coastal and marine science faculty and student research projects. There are the capabilities to work with a wide range of materials from stainless steel to plastics.

Start a machine shop project

Equipment includes:

  • Lathe
  • Vertical milling machine
  • Band saws
  • Table saw
  • Welding apparatus

Experienced personnel operate this machinery to construct new projects and do repairs on currently operating equipment when possible. A completed Machine Shop Work Request form is required before the start of each project.

Contact Information

John Nunes

Phone: 910.962.2577

EMAIL JOHN NUNES

The Center for Marine Science maintains two seawater systems that provide reliable access to seawater for research projects and outreach programs. Learn more about our seawater operation.

Our Aquaculture Facility at Wrightsville Beach seawater system became operational in 1991 and now primarily focuses on intensive finfish culture. In 2000, the Center for Marine Science seawater system began supporting much broader scientific endeavors. 

365 Days a Year

Both systems have had several upgrades to improve automation, filtration, distribution and reliability. A centralized digital management system operates behind the scenes to assure continuous seawater delivery even during adverse weather events. Our seawater team is on call 24 hours a day/365 days a year to keep our research in constant operation.

Seawater Contact

Jimmy White, Aquaculture Systems Technician
910.962.2312

EMAIL Jimmy whiteLearn more about UNCW Aquaculture

Core Facilities

Core facilities provide services to all UNCW coastal and marine researchers by providing general use facilities that may not normally be attainable by individual faculty.

Each Core Facility is supervised by a faculty or staff member, and specific facilities may vary over time depending on resources and changing needs. Core facilities are developed to address research support needs of groups of faculty. Each facility is charged with providing equipment, research expertise, and occasionally technical staff support to assist or train laboratory personnel in their use.

DNA Analysis

The Center for Marine Science (CMS) DNA Analysis Core Facility’s (DNA Core) mission is to provide UNCW with the state-of-the-art infrastructure and expertise needed to generate and analyze DNA data for research and education. It is the only DNA analysis facility in southeastern North Carolina.

The DNA Core has been the catalyst for interactions between researchers representing various research programs during it 15+ years of operation by providing an efficient and cost-effective means for the generation and analyses of DNA sequence, fragment and real-time PCR data. The ease of use, low run costs and reliability of the facility’s instruments have enhanced productivity and expanded the research capabilities of a growing number of faculty and students at UNCW.

The DNA Core is used extensively to train students through its use by UNCW and local community college classes, and it plays an essential role in student research projects.

Contact for DNA Analysis

Dr. Wilson Freshwater
910.962.2375

Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry

UNC-WIRMS houses two stable isotope mass spectrometers interfaced with a variety of peripheral devices that allow for stable isotopic analyses of light elements (C, H, O, N, S) in a wide variety of sample types including organic tissues, sediments, carbonates, gasses, liquids, and individual organic compounds.

The facility also includes a gas chromatograph equipped with a quadrupole mass spectrometer and flame ionization detector for organic compound identification and quantification, two ultra-high precision microbalances, a micromill and wet lab space for sample preparation.

The UNC-WIRMS operates as a training facility whereby users (students and faculty) are taught proper use of instrumentation by facility personnel and are then responsible for conducting their own analyses. Facility personnel will assist with data processing and QA/QC. Sample preparation is the responsibility of the researcher.

Facility personnel will do their best to provide advice for sample preparation, but please keep in mind that methods vary widely among sample types and some types of analyses may be new to facility personnel.

Contact for Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry

Dr. Chad Lane
Director
910.962.3466

Dr. Hai Pan
Research Specialist
910.962.2336

Nutrient Analysis

The nutrient analysis core facility at the UNCW Center for Marine Science is well equipped to support the center’s mission of basic and applied research. In particular, the nutrient core facility is heavily utilized (more than 10,000 samples analyzed annually) for studies on biogeochemical nutrient and carbon cycling and water quality monitoring in a variety of aquatic environments.

The lab houses seven research grade instruments for nutrient and organic analyses of both aqueous and solid samples. The lab operates as a valuable training facility where users are trained to operate the instruments and are then able to schedule to run their analysis according to their timeframes. Expert training, supervision and troubleshooting is available with prior arrangement.

Other than replacement of low-cost consumables, there are no fees for UNCW users. Samples from outside UNCW are run at nominal costs.

Contact for Nutrient Analysis

Dr. Rob Whitehead
910.962.2356

Oceanographic Instrumentation

The Oceanographic Instrumentation Core Facility supports estuarine and coastal ocean research at the Center for Marine Science by operating and maintaining a suite of specialized field instrumentation and providing technical and electronics support to faculty, staff and students.

The instrumentation available provides researchers with capabilities ranging from in-situ measurement of physical, biological and chemical properties of water to mapping the geology of bottom habitats. Equipment and instruction is also made available to marine science classes for “hands-on” learning during laboratory courses.

Contact for Oceanographic Instrumentation

David Wells
910.962.2315

Sediment Analysis

Location: CMS 1345

The UNCW Sediment Analysis Core Facility houses two instruments, a Camsizer XT Particle Grain Analyzer and a Beckman Coulter LS 13 320 Laser Diffraction Particle Size Analyzer. These are available for faculty and student use. Samples for both instruments are not preserved after measurement.

The Camsizer is capable of quantifying a variety of grain size characteristics (size, roundedness, dimensional ratios, etc.) for particles ranging from 1μm to 3 mm. Samples can be analyzed dry or in solution.

The Beckman Coulter is capable of measuring particle size ranging from 10 nm to 2 mm. Samples are analyzed in water.

Sample preparation (organics removal, sample disaggregation, etc.) is the responsibility of the researcher. Facility personnel will do their best to provide advice for sample preparation, but please keep in mind that methods vary widely among sample types and some types of analyses may be new to facility personnel. Researchers are asked to cover the cost of any necessary consumables for sample analysis, but there is no sample fee.

Faculty or students interested in using the facility should contact Dr. Shannon Klotsko to schedule the initial instrument training. After training approval, please use the booking calendar below to schedule time on either instrument. Default time slots are two (2) hours; book as many as needed.

Contact for Sediment Analysis

Dr. Shannon Klotsko

Schedule online

Spectroscopy

The Spectroscopy Core Facility is equipped with both nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and liquid chromatography/gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC/GCMS) capabilities. Our instrumentation available:

NMR Spectrometers

Bruker Biospin 500 MHz AVANCE Series Digital NMR, complete with the following probes for 1H, 13C, and 15N detection: 1.7 mm TXI inverse probe with Z-gradient, 5 mm TXI inverse probe with X,Y,Z-gradients and 5 mm BBO probe with Z-gradient

Bruker Biospin 600 MHz AV-III Series Digital NMR, complete with the following probes for 1H, 13C, and 15N, and 19F detection: 5 mm TXI inverse probe with Z-gradient, 5 mm BBFO probe with Z-gradient

MS Available

Waters XEVO G2-XS QTOF HRMS equipped with an Acquity UPLC

Sciex Q TRAP 4000 quadrupole/linear ion trap triple quad LC/MS/MS, equipped with an Sciex Exion LC and autosampler

Waters I-Class UPLC with QDa Mass Detector equipped with an PDA UV-Vis detector, degasser and autosampler.

Bruker Scion GC-MS/MS

Sample introduction includes two separate electronic flow-controlled ports; 1) split/splitless liquid injection 2) static headspace sample introduction. The mass spectrometer source has the capabilities of EI and CI (+/-) modes.

Contact for Spectroscopy

Spectroscopy instrumentation is reserved using the FACES scheduling system.
For access and training, please contact the facility director or a member of the advisory committee:

Remington X. Poulin, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
Director of Spectroscopy Facilities

Spectroscopy Core Facility Advisory Committee

R. Thomas Williamson, PhD
Yousry Sayed Distinguished Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Ralph Mead, PhD
Professor of Earth and Ocean Sciences

Wendy Strangman, PhD
Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry

 

Please note fee schedules below:

NMR Fee Schedule

Table shows NMR fee schedule
NMR Time* Technical support Consultation
UNCW Faculty / Students** No charge No charge No charge
MARBIONC Tenants** $40 / hr. or $10 / sample*** $80 / hr. $80 / hr.
Outside Academic Institutions** $20 / hr. or $5 / sample $80 / hr. $80 / hr.
Outside Commercial**** $80 / hr. or $40 per sample $120 / hr. $120 / hr.

Users are responsible for all consumables including NMR tubes, deuterated solvents, pipettes, and sample disposal.

*Hourly charges reflect actual reserved blocks on the NMR scheduler. Time is reservable in minimum of 15-minute blocks.

**UNCW Students, MARBIONC tenants, and Outside Academic Institutions are expected to independently acquire data on their samples after appropriate training by the UNCW NMR/MS facilities Director. Otherwise, outside commercial charges apply.

***Per sample charges assume 1D 1H NMR only with a maximum of 15 minutes of reserved instrument time.

****Charges reflect acquisition of data by UNCW NMR/MS Facilities Director.

UNCW faculty/student access will be prioritized over other users of this facility.

MS Fee Schedule

Table shows MS fee schedule
QDa MS Access* Q-Trap Access Q-Tof Access Technical support Consultation
UNCW Faculty / Students** No charge No charge No charge No charge No charge
MARBIONC Tenants** $10 / sample** $20 / sample call*** $80 / hr. $80 / hr.
Outside Academic Institutions** $5 / sample $10 / sample call*** $80 / hr. $80 / hr.
Outside Commercial**** $40 / sample $60 / sample $120 / sample $120 / hr. $120 / hr.

Users are responsible for all consumables including HPLC/UPLC columns, appropriate solvents and buffers, vials, and sample disposal.

*Sample charges reflect actual samples recorded in instrument logbook.

**UNCW Students, MARBIONC tenants, and Outside Academic Institutions are expected to independently acquire data on their samples after appropriate training by the UNCW NMR/MS facilities Director. Otherwise, outside commercial charges apply.

***Contact NMR/MS facility manager to discuss specific applications.

****Charges reflect acquisition of data by UNCW NMR/MS Facilities Director.

UNCW faculty/staff access will be prioritized over other users of this facility.

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