Home to the sciences at Furman University, the Charles H. Townes Science Center is one of the best undergraduate research facilities in the Southeast.

Dedicated in 2008, this $62.5 million building features multimedia classrooms, research laboratories, computer labs, and study lounges to support students and faculty. It also houses the Sanders Science Library, which provides students access to important research journals, books, electronic databases and other materials.

As part of our commitment to undergraduate research, our laboratories are equipped with modern technology and instrumentation. Our faculty introduce students to instrument technology in their courses, and then expand their instruction in their research laboratories. By working with our faculty, our majors gain hands-on experience with equipment that they will use throughout their careers, such as two high-field, superconducting Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometers. In fact, our research laboratories contain more than $5.6 million in assets. Our instrumentation includes:

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• Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
  • Varian Inova 500 MHz High-Field Superconducting NMR Spectrometer
  • Varian 400-MR 400 MHz High Field Superconducting NMR Spectrometer
  • Varian E 109 ESR Spectrometer
  • Bruker ESR Spectrometer ERD 200
  • Bruker ESR Spectrometer EMX
  
  

• Mass Spectrometry
  • Waters Xevo-G2s QTof Mass Spectrometer w/ API Interface
  • Waters Alliance HPLC w/ ZQ ESI-Mass Spectrometer
  • Varian Saturn 2000 GC/MS/MS
  • Agilent 7820A/5977E GC/MSD
  • EAI 250 Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers (2)
  • Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer; R.M. Jordan Co.
  • TOF Reflectron Mass Spectrometer; R.M. Jordan Co.
  • Mass Spec Helium Leak Tester; Veeco 17 AB
  • Stanford Research Systems RGA Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (2)
  
  

• Lasers
  • Nd:YAG Laser Spectra Physics systems (4)
  • Argon Ion Lasers (2)
  • Spectra Physics PDL 2 Pulsed Dye Laser
  • Coherent CR-599 Dye laser
  • Photon Technology GL302 Dye/GL3300 Nitrogen Laser
  • Omnichrome 14 mW laser
  • Photon Technology GL303 Frequency doubler
  
  

• Electrochemical
  • Bio Analytical Systems - 100 B/W Electrochemical Workstation
  • Bio Analytical Systems - LC-4 Amperometric Controllers (2)
  • Four-point probe conductivity measurement system
  
  

• Separations
  • Shimadzu UFLC System
  • Shimadzu HPLC Systems (2)
  • Waters HPLC Fluorescence Detector
  • BiOptics Q-SEP Capillary Gel Electrophoresis
  • Thermo/Fisher Dionex HPLC System
  • Waters Aquity H-Class UPLC
  • Waters Alliance HPLC System w/Fraction Collector
  • ESA Coulochem III Electrochemical Detector
  • Beckman MDQ Capillary Electrophoresis System (2)
  • Dionex Ion Chromatograph
  
  

• Microscopy
  • Digital Instruments Nanoscope III Multimode AFM/STM
  • Digital Instruments Nanoscope IV Diimension 3100AFM
  • Jenalumar Fluorescence Microscope
  • Zeiss Fluorescence and Polarizing Microscopes
  
  

• Optical Spectroscopy
  • UV-Vis spectrometers (9)
  • Varian Liberty Series II Inductively Coupled Plasma – Atomic Emission Spectrometer
  • Perkin-Elmer Optima 7300DV ICP-Optical Emission Spectrometer
  • Anton-Paar MCP500 Polarimeter
  • OLIS SM-45 EM Spectrofluorometer
  • Horiba Jobin Yvon Spex Fluorolog 3 Fluorometer, with Microplate Reader, Temp Controller and Titrator
  • Horiba Jobin Yvon FluoroMax 3 Fluorometer
  • Horiba Fluorolog 3 Spectrofluorometer with NIR detection
  • Aminco Bowman SLM 8000 C Spectrophotofluorimeter, refurbished
  • Photonics QE 6500 Spectrometer
  • OLIS Spectrofluorometer with Circular Dichroism Spectrometer
  • JASCO CD J 710 Spectrophotometer, refurbished
  • Spex 0.75m Raman Spectrometer with CCD
  • Thermo-Nicolet 6700 FT-IR w/NXR FT-Raman Module
  • FT-IR Spectrometers (4)
  • Perkin-Elmer Spectrum 100 FT-IR Spectrometer, with External Beam Accessory
  • Perkin-Elmer Frontier FT-IR Spectrometer With ATR Accessory
  
  

• Specialized Biochemical Equipment
  • MicroCal VP-ITC Isothermal Calorimeters (3)
  • Bio Rad 620 Video Densitometer
  • Ultra-Lum Digipix 1260 Digital Gel Analyzer System
  • Ultra-Lum Omega Gel Imager
  • GE LifeSciences Typhoon Trio Gel Imager
  • Thermocyler
  • Omn-E Thermal Cycler
  • Agilent Mx3000P QPCR System
  • Eppendorf Mastercycler Personal
  • Labnet Multigene Gradient PCR Machine
  • Millipore Milli-Q/Elix Water System (2)
  • Tuttnauer Brinkmann Autoclave
  • Harvey SterileMax Autoclave
  • Eppendorf Multipurpose Centrifuge 5810R
  • ThermoElectron Savant DNA120 SpeedVac/Concentrator
  
  

• Materials Characterization Instrumentation
  • Q-Sense QCM-D E4 Quartz Crystal Microbalance
  • KSV Theta Tensiometer System
  • KSV Dip Coater
  • Compact Goniometer System
  • Hummer Plasma Coater
  • Dynamic Light Scattering System ALV 7004 Zetasizer Nano ZS
  • TA Instruments Q2000 Differential Scanning Calorimeter & Q500 Thermal Gravimetric Analyzer
  • Essential Dynamics Imagine 3D Extruder Printer
  
  

• Specialized Reaction Apparatus
  • Vacuum Atmospheres Co. HE 243 Inert Atmosphere Glove Box
  • Air Products Heli Tran Liquid Helium Cryostats (2)
  • Air Products Cryogenic Refrigerators, Displex 202 (3)
  • Air Products Temperature Controllers, APD E (2)
  • Cryogenic Refrigerator 4K, Air Products Model HS304
  • Oriel 1000 Watt Mercury Lamp Photolysis System
  • KIVA Microwave Generators and Vacuum UV Photolysis Lamps
  • Molecular Beam High Vacuum System w/10" Diffusion Pump
  • Phillips MCN 101 X-ray Generator w/MG161 Power Supply
  
  

• Miscellaneous Instruments
  • EPmotion 5070 Liquid Handling Robot
  • Innovative Technology Pure-Solv Solvent Purification System
  • Biotage SP1 and SP4 Automated Column Chromatography Systems
  • Biotage Isolera ACCS (2)
  • Sartorius MSE Analytical Balance
  • Molecular Modeling Facility
  • HP DesignJet Z6200 Large Format Printer