Scientific Technical Services

Scientific Technical Services (SciTech )provides a vital function in the support of teaching, classroom, and research activities at Western--not just in science departments.  Consisting of the University Instrument Center ( UIC) and the Shops (Machine, Electronics, and Wood), SciTech has worked with almost every academic and non-academic unit on the Western campus.

SciTech has six full-time employees, all of whom have extensive training and educational experience necessary to collectively support the variety of classroom and research activities on campus.  SciTech services are free to Western users; the only charges are for consumables or specialty parts and supplies.

The Shops:  Located in the basement of Bond Hall (BH 6-11), the Shops (Machine, Electronic and Wood) provide:

• Consultation
• Design
• Fabrication services
• Maintenance
• Repair and modification services for scientific and other academic equipment.

Shop personnel work with a variety of materials and have specialized welding and finishing facilities.  Each of the areas maintains an extensive catalogue collection and can help locate hard-to-find devices or supplies.  For ongoing projects, the Shops can provide training in the use of equipment and facilities.

The University Instrument Center (UIC ): Located on the fifth floor of the Environmental Studies Building (ES 508), the UIC is a multi-user facility equipped with a variety of advanced analytical equipment.   

The UIC instruments, as well as laboratory space and associated supplies, are available to support faculty, staff, and students for both teaching and research. SciTech staff provides training and consulting services for the use of instrumentation and can assist with classroom and laboratory demonstrations.  Training is provided to faculty, staff, and students involved in ongoing research projects using the Instrument Center facilities and to graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants who use instrumentation in instructional laboratories.

The UIC is also involved in the development of Western's Integrated Laboratory Network (ILN). The ILN combines laboratory instrumentation, computer, and instructional technology to provide a wide range of teaching and learning opportunities.  Instrumentation can be accessed and operated in real time over the Internet from lecture halls, classrooms, and even from home.  Web cameras allow the instruments to be seen in operation, facilitating classroom demonstrations. 

Scientific Technical Services website