Shepherd University received a $17,096 instrumentation grant from the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission Division of Science and Research and the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.

The grant was secured by Adam Parks and Carol Plautz, both assistant professors of biology, and David Wing, associate professor of biology.

The real-time polymerase chain reaction instrument which was purchased with the grant, will be used in the microbiology course. The instrument is used to assess water quality and detect bacteria. According to Parks, this technique allows faculty to teach students in a way that is more sensitive and safer than conventional methods and will increase the research abilities of students.