This grant funds the purchase of two new instruments, a new particle size analyzer and a new centrifuge, for use by the Geology department at Cal Poly Humboldt, other faculty and students at the university, and scientists in the rural Humboldt region (e.g. those working at local consulting firms and state and federal agencies). Measuring particle size is a common method in the Earth Sciences. This technique is used to determine sediment transport in river systems, travel distance of volcanic ash, and to reconstruct past environments. Centrifugation uses rapid, motorized spinning of samples to mechanically separate different minerals from each other and to rinse solvents from sediments. These instruments will give both undergraduate and graduate students first-hand experience conducting lab work- from learning lab protocols and running samples independently to analyzing data. Hands-on data collection and analysis are skills that will better prepare them for future careers in the geosciences. This grant proposal is for the acquisition of a laser diffraction particle size analyzer and a benchtop centrifuge. Currently there is not an available particle size analyzer within 300 miles of the Cal Poly Humboldt campus, which means we need to send samples to outside labs for analysis. This is costly, time consuming and deprives both undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to gain experience using lab instrumentation. Determining particle size is an important measureme