Working in an Arctic climate with logistical challenges often means necessary equipment can't be ordered off the shelf.
Say you need an infrasound-sensing unit that has a reliable off-the-grid power supply, but also can communicate its data from a remote location to your home office. You can find the unit at Instrument Development Services, a facility within the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The machinists and electronics experts within IDS can design, manufacture and test a variety of devices for use among researchers within the University of Alaska and the public.
From 10 a.m. to noon on Thursday, May 15, IDS staff will provide a symposium on their diverse capabilities and services. The presentation will take place in the Globe Room of the Elvey Building on the UAF campus. A tour of the IDS machine and electronics shops will follow the presentations.
Instrument Development Services projects are varied and can be tailored to individual research needs. Recently, IDS created a prototype rocket that was built and launched from Poker Flat Research Range. The work was used to test instrumentation for partners at Dartmouth College. Additionally, IDS staff has created data loggers, magnetometers, pinbone removal devices and specialized drills that can bore through colossal glacial ice.
The IDS shops have reliable, sophisticated manufacturing equipment, including a new 3-D printer.
The presentation and tour are free.
CONTACT: Debbie Coxon, Geophysical Institute Operations manager, 907-474-7411 or dcoxon [at] gi.alaska.edu.