Short Training Courses
The EMU and the Australian Key Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis run a range of courses in light microscopy, electron microscopy, specimen preparation and microanalysis.
The basic course fee for each course (excluding GST) is shown in the table below. Students, general, academic and research staff of the University of Sydney are eligible for discounts on the basic fee as follows:
- University of Sydney researchers are charged a flat rate of $210 per course (except for LM Workshop, Stereology, and Nanostructural Analysis of Materials – Module 3 (Focused Ion Beam Technology), which cost $110).
- Australian publicly funded organisations (e.g. all other Australian universities) receive a 40% discount.
- Commercial clients are charged the full rate.
To enrol in a course please refer to the Accessing the EMU page. Enrolments close two weeks before the course starts. Cancellations must be notified one week in advance, as otherwise a cancellation fee may apply. Please give as much notice as possible of any cancellation, as others may be able to benefit from the available space.
For more information about short training courses contact .
Courses Timetable for 2009
Introductory Microscopy & Microanalysis
Semester 1: March 9–19; download timetable (PDF 32 KB)
Semester 2: July 27–August 7; download timetable (PDF 32 KB)
Convener: ,
Cost for external attendees: $1800
The course provides an introduction to the fundamental principles of optics and the related principles of spectroscopy that are commonly used in microscopy and microanalysis. Students are introduced to a variety of imaging and analysis techniques and their role in both biotechnology and the technology of materials, as relevant to laboratory professionals and researchers. An emphasis on light-optical microscopy and related imaging modes is developed.
Biological Specimen Preparation, TEM & SEM
Semester 1: April 27–May 6
Semester 2: NA
Convener:
Cost for external attendees: $1200
This course provides a theoretical background and practical knowledge of basic routine specimen preparation techniques for electron microscopy. It covers biological specimen preparation for TEM, including fixing, embedding, sectioning, drying, coating and staining techniques. An introduction to cryotechniques and immuno methodologies is included. All aspects of specimen preparation for SEM are also covered.
Materials Specimen Preparation, TEM & SEM
Semester 1: April 6–9; download timetable (PDF 32 KB)
Semester 2: October 6–9 (October 5 Labour Day); download timetable (PDF 32 KB)
Convener: ,
Cost for external attendees: $900
This module gives practical training in the preparation of a wide range of materials for electron microscopy, including metals, semiconductors, powders, ceramics and thin films. It trains users in the preparation of plan and cross-view sections for studying the microstructure of materials, using a wide range of preparation techniques including electropolishing, ion milling, dimple grinding, chemical polishing and cleavage, and it includes the preparation of holey carbon films and lift-off techniques.
Research Methodology
Semester 1: NA
Semester 2: August–October; download timetable (PDF 56 KB)
Convener:
Cost for external attendees: $1800
This course covers the principles and practice of research methodology. Topics include literature and database searches; citing and referencing; research proposals; safety, risk assessment and ethics; experimental design and documentation; statistics, errors and data analysis; and written and oral communication.
Fluorescence Microscopy Techniques
Semester 1: May 11–15; download timetable (PDF 32 KB)
Semester 2: August 11–14; download timetable (PDF 32 KB)
Conveners: ,
Cost for external attendees: $900
This course aims to develop the knowledge and skills in advanced techniques in specimen preparation for biological fluorescent microscopy. Topics covered are the principles and application of antibodies, fluorescent markers, fluorescent microscopy, and biological specimen preparation.
Light Microscopy Workshop
Semester 1: May 18
Semester 2: August 17
Conveners: ,
Cost for external attendees: $420
This one-day workshop is for students attending the confocal microscopy course who do not have extensive light microscopy experience. Please contact the course convenor to determine whether you should take this course.
Introduction to Confocal Microscopy
Semester 1: May 19–22; download timetable (PDF 32 KB)
Semester 2: August 18–21; download timetable (PDF 32 KB)
Conveners: ,
Cost for external attendees: $900
This course aims to train participants to become competent users of the confocal microscope. Topics include principles of confocal microscopy and optical sectioning; aberrations; design of confocal microscopes and scanning; fluorescence; reconstruction of images and stereoscopy. This module is designed for participants with no previous experience of confocal microscopy.
Operation of the Transmission Electron Microscope
Semester 1: March 30–April 3
Semester 2: September 14–18; download timetable (PDF 44 KB)
Conveners: , ,
Cost for external attendees: $900
This course aims to train participants to become competent TEM operators familiar with the basic parameters that influence and image. Topics covered include the illumination system; electron lenses and their aberrations; image formation and resolution; staining and contrast; the vacuum system and contamination. The course is designed for users with no previous EM experience.
Operation of the Scanning Electron Microscope
Semester 1: March 23–27
Semester 2: September 21–25
Conveners: ,
Cost for external attendees: $900
Participants will be trained to become competent SEM operators at a basic skills level. Topics covered include secondary and backscattered electron imaging; the effect of accelerating voltage; depth of field; and resolution. The course is designed for users with no previous EM experience.
Stereology
Semester 1: May 25–26; download timetable (PDF 32 KB)
Semester 2: August 24–25; download timetable (PDF 32 KB)
Conveners: ,
Cost for external attendees: $600
The course provides both theoretical as well as practical applications aspects of basic stereological techniques. Topics covered include volume estimation (Cavalieri Principle); number estimation; surface area estimation and relevant aspects of experimental design.
Image Analysis
Semester 1: May 27–29; download timetable (PDF 32 KB)
Semester 2: August 26–28; download timetable (PDF 32 KB)
Conveners: ,
Cost for external attendees: $1200
This course teaches the principles of quantitative analysis of images, with emphasis on analysis of images acquired from different modalities of microscopy. It covers basic and advanced feature extraction, limitations of measurement, and discrimination techniques based on statistical analysis. A basic understanding of image acquisition and processing is assumed.
TEM of Crystalline Materials
Semester 1: April 20–24
Semester 2: October 12–16
Convener:
Cost for external attendees: $900
The course covers aspects of TEM specific to inorganic materials. Crystallography, diffraction patterns and diffraction contrast are topics that will be introduced.
Microscopy of Biomolecular Processes
Semester 1: NA
Semester 2: August 31–September 11; download timetable (PDF 24 KB)
Convener:
Cost for external attendees: $1800
This course covers the principles and practice of advanced microscopy techniques for probing cellular and biomolecular processes. It introduces techniques to investigate cellular processes at the molecular and protein level including, intracellular signalling, uptake and metabolism of drugs/carcinogens/exogenous material, and localisation of enzymes/proteins associated with cells.
Only external attendees are able to book Module 1 or Module 2 separately at $900 each.
Nanostructural Analysis of Materials
Semester 1: NA
Semester 2: October 19–30; download outline and timetable (PDF 264 KB)
Conveners: ,
This course provides students with knowledge and training so that they may explore the relationships between the structure and properties of materials. The course covers the principles and practice of materials characterisation with an emphasis on techniques for the quantitative determination of the nanoscale structure and chemistry of materials.
Please note that all modules of this course are to be booked separately.
- Module 1: Advanced Scanning Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis
Semester 2: October 19–21
Cost for external attendees: $900
This module covers a number of advanced techniques and imaging modes including high-resolution imaging, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis and mapping, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), variable-pressure SEM and Raman Spectroscopy. Through a series of practical sessions and demonstrations over three days, the students will gain an appreciation of the experimental considerations (time requirements, specimen preparation requirements) and the limitations of each technique. - Module 2: Advanced Transmission Electron Microscopy
Semester 2: October 22–26
Cost for external attendees: $900
This module gives a general review of the principles and applications of the diverse imaging and microanalysis mechanisms and techniques available in a modern TEM, starting with the basics of crystallography and the fundamentals of electron diffraction to phase contrast and high-resolution imaging followed by the an introduction to electron tomography, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). The practical sessions allow the students to get experience with electron diffraction and high-resolution imaging, tomography, and spectroscopy analysis by EDS and EELS. - Module 3: Focused Ion Beam Technology
Semester 2: October 27
Cost for external attendees: $420
This one day workshop will cover the most common applications of this technique, including milling and deposition, micromachining and cross-sectioning, specimen preparation for transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography and 3-D imaging (slice-and-view/tomography). - Module 4: Atom Probe Tomography
Semester 2: October 28–30
Cost for external attendees: $900
This course will cover in detail both the theory of field ion evaporation and the practicalities of atom probe instrumentation. Approaches for atom probe investigations will be described in entirety, from specimen preparation of the original sample, to the running of the atom probe data, creating the 3-D reconstruction from the 2-D detector information and finally interpretation of the data.