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Science Express Key Procedures

Teacher Training Procedures

  • Only trained/recertified teachers, whose participation has been paid for, are allowed to use Science Express equipment.
  • There are 2 recertification times during the year: one at Purdue and the Science Express summer workshop.
  • There are 2 new teacher trainings during the year: one during the school year (Vernier only) and the Science Express summer workshop.
  • Everyone must complete recertification on any equipment they wish to keep using every three years.
  • Science Express costs $500 per teacher per year. No school pays more than $2000. 

Ordering Procedures

How to reserve equipment video

  • No equipment requests will be taken before August 1st. Equipment deliveries will begin mid-August.
  • Invoices will be sent out late August/early September, please feel free to order equipment before your school has paid. When ordering equipment, first check the schedule to make sure it is available. Also, be as specific as you can about what equipment you want (i.e. old vs. new scalars).
  • Red arrow on the equipment schedule means the equipment is available for request.
  • Place equipment requests at least a week before delivery. Eliza and PCR need to be a minimum of three weeks before delivery.
  • If you perform more labs with the equipment than your initial request, please send Bill an email with the extra labs you performed.
  • If another trained teacher at your school wishes to use equipment that you already have they need to email Bill and tell him what labs they are performing and how many students will use the equipment.

Delivery Procedures

  • No equipment will be delivered to a teacher that we do not have a Statement of Assurance signed by the teacher and a principal on file.
  • Deliveries and pick-ups have to be scheduled on days when your school is in session.
  • Take a few minutes when equipment is delivered and after you are done with it to make sure everything is packaged correctly and visibly looks to be in good working order.
  • You need to set up and put away the equipment instead of the students or a teacher’s aide.
  • If equipment cannot be delivered as scheduled due to weather, the delivery will fall to the next day.

Most Common Equipment Mishaps

  • If you have any problems with equipment, big or small, please notify Bill ASAP via email.
  • Be sure to remove all cuvettes from Specs 20’s, UV/vis, and turbidity sensors before they are picked up.
  • On scalars be sure that all shields are placed in their correct spots before the machines are picked up.
  • Make sure to run 75% methanol 20 minutes before shutting down the HPLC’s.
  • Radiation sources must be locked up when not in use, even during a passing period. Each time they are used there needs to be a sign out sheet showing which students had which sources.
  • Liquid nitrogen is limited to one delivery per semester/trimester. NOTHING is to be placed or dipped into the large 30L dewar and ice cream is to be mixed in a bowl, NOT the large white demonstration dewars.

Purdue University College of Science, 150 N. University St, West Lafayette, IN 47907 • Phone: (765) 494-1729, Fax: (765) 494-1736

Student Advising Office: (765) 494-1771, Fax: (765) 496-3015 • Science IT, (765) 494-4488

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