Environmental Sciences Laboratory

‌This large laboratory space has been developed for flexible learning within the areas of geology, geography, geophysics, oceanography, ecology, marine biology, physics and archaeology. It can accommodate up to 180 students.

The AV system can be zoned allowing three smaller classes in parallel. Students develop their skills on 'industry standard' equipment used by leading research laboratories and industry.

The extensive microscope collection features 120 each of polarising, zoom, and biological microscopes kindly supported by Mazurek and Meiji. They can be used for scientific work such as thin section analysis of rocks and minerals, and analysis of sediments such as sands, fossils, pollen and microfossils.

Microscopes connect to the bench computers allowing students to work together, view samples as a group and save pictures. This gives students the chance to extend their own work in preparation for their dissertation projects.

Additional equipment includes a Benchtop Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), a cathode-luminescence microscope and a core scanner used for both rock and soft sediment. Core samples from the Dee estuary has been used to demonstrate changes in pollution.