Research Facilities

College Research Facilities

William C. and Ruth Ann Dewel Microscopy Facility

The William C. and Ruth Ann Dewel Microscopy Facility serves undergraduate, graduate students and faculty at Appalachian State University offering a wide variety of services in light and electron microscopy and image analysis. The CAS Microscopy Facility supports both research and teaching, and provides instruction and assistance on the use of state of the art imaging equipment.

College of Arts & Sciences Vivarium

The College of Arts & Sciences is committed to providing the Appalachian academic community with a safe, clean, humane, and efficient Animal Resource Facility. For information on the scope of activities, please consult the Vivarium Facility User’s Manual (274 KB, PDF).

Computation & Visualization Lab

The Visualization Lab is an interdisciplinary computer lab which provides high-end processing and graphic rendering capabilities in support of education, research and outreach activities. The lab is located on the second floor of Rankin Science West.

Dark Sky Observatory

Appalachian State University's Dark Sky Observatory is the research facility used by faculty and their students to conduct observational research in astrophysics. It is equipped with four telescopes, each used regularly for CCD imaging and photometry, with spectrographic instrumentation also available at the 32-inch.

Rankin Observatory

Rankin Observatory is the instructional facility on the main App State campus and is used for teaching advanced undergraduate astronomy courses in observational techniques. The RSO is next to the rooftop GoTo Lab Facility, used in Introductory Astronomy courses.

I.W. Carpenter, Jr. Herbarium

The Herbarium at App State contains approximately 29,000 specimens. The three main functions of the facility are teaching, maintenance of vouchers and development of a research herbarium with a focus on the flora of the Southern Appalachians.

Greenhouse

The Biology Department maintains the Greenhouse and Conservatory which supports a wide variety of outreach, teaching, basic and applied research efforts and holds more than 800 species across more than 100 families in plant inventory.

Other Research Labs

In addition to the Microscopy Lab and Vivarium, members of the science faculty maintain their own individual labs for research, usually involving both graduate and undergraduate students.

Grants & Research News

Faculty members and students from Appalachian State University's Department of Physics and Astronomy are the authors of a new paper in The Astronomical Journal, a leading peer-reviewed scientific journal in the field of astronomy published by the American Astronomical Society. The study, titled

Astronomy Faculty and Students Collaborate to Publish Astronomical Journal Paper

BOONE, N.C. — Faculty members and students from Appalachian State University's Department of Physics and Astronomy are the authors of a new paper in...

Dr. Robert Swarthout, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences and Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, is the principal investigator on the project. Department of Physics and Astronomy professors Dr. Chris Thaxton and Dr. James Sherman serve as co-investigators.

Drs. Robert Swarthout, Chris Thaxton, and James Sherman Receive $531,902 NSF Grant

BOONE, N.C. — A group of faculty members from the Appalachian State University College of Arts and Sciences has been awarded a three-year grant from...

Leigha Henson, biology graduate student from Griffin, Georgia, received a 2023 LI-COR Prize at the Botanical Society of America's Botany Conference in Boise, Idaho, for her poster

Biology graduate student Leigha Henson earns prize at Botanical Society of America Conference

BOONE, N.C. — Leigha Henson, biology graduate student from Griffin, Georgia, received a 2023 LI-COR Prize at the Botanical Society of America (BSA)'...

Dr. Andrew Bellemer, associate professor of molecular neuroscience and assistant chair of faculty administration in the Department of Biology. Photo by Chase Reynolds.

Tiny brains, big data: App State-led project aims to prepare the neuroscientists of tomorrow

BOONE, N.C. — The brain of a common fruit fly may seem insignificant — a speck no bigger than the period at the end of this sentence — yet its a...

Research in the College

The College of Arts and Sciences understands the value of research for our students and faculty. We support, encourage and aid our students and faculty in their research and scholarly pursuits. For more information about research through individual departments, please visit each department website