On 13.03.2025, the new Core Facility at the Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, was officially opened at the UZA II.

The CFE emerged from the Special Focus Facility of the same name, which has been established at the FGGA for more than 10 years and in which three electron microscopy laboratories with complementary analysis options and method portfolios are bundled. What is new is the extended range of services, the organisational form and the largely standardised access regulations. As part of the opening event, scientists from the Core Facility and users of this research infrastructure presented the equipment options and the research currently being carried out with them.

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Opening ceremony

Date: 13.03.2025, 14:00-17:00

Venue: UZA II, Lecture Hall 2, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, Geozentrum, floor 1 (near exit A)

The CFE comprises large-scale laboratories for electron microscopy, electron beam microanalysis and ion beam applications for the structural and mineral chemical analysis of geomaterials.

Programme:

• 14:00 Welcome
  • Vice-Rector Univ.-Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Hautsch
  • Vice-Dean Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Geogr. Dr. Stephan Glatzel
    
    
• 14:10 Presentation of the Core Facility
  • Core Facility Electron Beam Microanalysis
    Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Rainer Abart
  • SEM lab - The new workhorse
    Dr. Christian Baal
  • EPMA lab - The element expert
    Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Rainer Abart
  • FIB-FESEM lab - The senior multitalent
    Mag. Dr. Gerlinde Habler
    
    
• 15:00 Coffee Break
  
  
• 15:30 Research at the Core Facility
  • What Fossils under the Electron Microscope can tell
    Univ.-Prof. Dr. Petra Heinz
    ao. Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Geol. Dr. Christa Hofmann
    Isabella Leonhard, B.Sc. M.Sc.
  • Mineral chemistry – window to Deep Earth
    Rene Asenbaum, B.Sc. M.Sc.
    Dr. Federico Casetta
  • Reading rocks: microstructures and crystal orientations
    Dr. Thomas Griffiths, MSc
  • Microstructures in rocks: from outcrop to microscale and back
    Dr. Michel Bestmann
    Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Bernhard Grasemann
    
    
• 16:50 How to access the facilities of CFE
  Univ.-Prof. Dr. Petra Heinz
  
  
• 17:00 Apero, Guided tours of the CFE labs