Dupont Donates Valuable Lab Equipment, Including Mass Spectrometer

(October 30, 2009) -- As a result of outreach by the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations, Simmons has received a substantial gift of laboratory equipment from the DuPont Corporation.

Professor Len Soltzberg and Lab Technician Joe Genevich return to campus from Philadelphia with 10 pallets of lab equipment.

In a one-of-a-kind collaboration involving several Simmons departments, Chemistry Professor Len Soltzberg and Physics Lab Technician Joe Genevich rented a truck and drove to Philadelphia to retrieve ten pallets of sophisticated instrumentation, including a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, infrared microscope, and gel permeation chromatographs. Had the College purchased this equipment new, it would have cost in excess of $400,000. The equipment will make it possible for faculty and students to expand the scope and depth of their research into novel materials, green synthesis, environmental analysis, and other areas.

Lab Technician Joe Genevich (left) and Chemistry Professor Len Soltzberg with the donated equipment, including a mass spectrometer.

This is the College's first sizable gift from DuPont, and the largest corporate gift of science equipment in the College's history. Len and Joe's road trip, from renting the 24 foot truck, to parking, to credit card clearances, was made possible with support of many office on campus including Facilities, Security, UNICCO, and Purchasing & Accounting.

Simmons Facilities team members prepare to unload the equipment.