Research Facilities

Columbia Engineering offers cutting-edge equipment and research capabilities available to the University community, including affiliates. Find out more by contacting the facilities below directly.

Shared Research Facilities

Electron Microscopy Laboratory
Columbia Nano Initiative
The advanced Columbia Nano Initiative (CNI) Electron Microscopy Laboratory includes a Transmission Electron Microscope, two Scanning Electron Microscopes (both located in CEPSR building, one inside the cleanroom), and a suite of sample preparation instruments. The mission of the laboratory is to train students and researchers in the theory and practice of scanning and transmission electron microscopy and to provide research and education services to the Columbia and greater New York City communities.
Staff, Contact Information, and Location
Scientific Director of CNI
Keren Bergman, Ph.D.
Charles Batchelor Professor of Electrical Engineering
Shared Labs Director
John Kymissis, Ph.D.
(212) 854-4023
[email protected]
Senior Director of CNI Labs
Nava Ariel-Sternberg, Ph.D.
(212) 854-9927
[email protected]
Electron Microscopy Laboratory Director
Amir Zangiabadi, Ph.D.
Contact
Amir Zangiabadi, Ph.D.
1001 Schapiro Center for Engineering and Physical Science Research (CEPSR)
Mail Code: 8903
(212) 853-1285
[email protected]
Location
Havemeyer Hall, Lab 116
Lab Contact
[email protected]
Web Address
https://cni.columbia.edu/electron-microscopy
Available Equipment
Note: training required
Microscopes
Sample Preparation Equipment
Nanofabrication Clean Room
Columbia Nano Initiative
The CNI Nanofabrication Clean Room is dedicated to providing the processing tools, instrumentation, technical expertise, and team-teaching environment to support the creation and evaluation of devices and materials with state-of-the-art fabrication and characterization equipment. Applications include nanoelectronic and nanophotonic devices, micro and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS), flexible electronics, bio-electronics, nano-bio interfaces, and more.
Staff, Contact Information, and Location
Scientific Director of CNI
Keren Bergman, Ph.D.
Charles Batchelor Professor of Electrical Engineering
Shared Labs Director
John Kymissis, Ph.D.
(212) 854-4023
[email protected]
Senior Director of CNI Labs
Nava Ariel-Sternberg, Ph.D.
(212) 854-9927
[email protected]
Nanofabrication Clean Room Director
James Vichiconti
Contact
James Vichiconti
1001 Schapiro Center for Engineering and Physical Science Research (CEPSR)
Mail Code: Mail Code 8903
(212) 854-9831
[email protected]
Location
Schapiro/CEPSR Building, MC 1052
Lab Contact
[email protected]
Web Address
https://cni.columbia.edu/columbia-university-clean-room
Available Equipment
Note: training required
Photolithography
Electron-Beam Lithography
Thin-Film Deposition & Growth
Dry Etch & Wet Processing
Back-End & Packaging
Metrology
Shared Materials Characterization Laboratory
Columbia Nano Initiative
The Shared Materials Characterization Lab provides microscopy, spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction instruments for materials researchers in chemistry, physics, and engineering. The laboratory specializes in the characterization of surfaces, films, magnetic materials, layered materials and other nanostructures, and crystalline/polycrystalline materials. Notably, users can fabricate and characterize air-sensitive materials in a nitrogen-filled glovebox containing an AFM, micro-Raman spectrometer, and optical autofinder.
Staff, Contact Information, and Location
Scientific Director of CNI
Keren Bergman, Ph.D.
Charles Batchelor Professor of Electrical Engineering
Shared Labs Director
John Kymissis, Ph.D.
(212) 854-4023
[email protected]
Senior Director of CNI Labs
Nava Ariel-Sternberg, Ph.D.
(212) 854-9927
[email protected]
Materials Characterization Lab Director
Philippe Chow, Ph.D.
Contact
Philippe Chow, Ph.D.
1001 Schapiro Center for Engineering and Physical Science Research (CEPSR)
Mail Code: 8903
(212) 851-9413
[email protected]
Location
Havemeyer Hall, Labs 224, 542, and 544
Lab Contact
[email protected]
Web Address
https://cni.columbia.edu/smcl
Available Equipment
Note: training required
Columbia Makerspace (Morningside Campus)
Columbia Engineering
The Makerspace @ Columbia on the Morningside Campus is a Columbia University-run workshop. The Makerspace provides a wide variety of tools for students, artists, makers, creatives, programmers, scientists, and engineers to use and furnishes a space to work, share ideas, and collaborate.
Staff, Contact Information, and Location
Faculty Director
John Kymissis , Ph.D.
Kenneth Brayer Professor Of Electrical Engineering
Hod Lipson, Ph.D.
James and Sally Scapa Professor of Innovation
Manger
William (Bill) Miller
[email protected]
Location
Seeley W. Mudd Building, 2nd Floor, Room 254
Web Address
https://make.columbia.edu/
Available Equipment
Note: training required
3D Printers
- Ultimaker 2 Extended + Single extruder 3D printer
- Ultimaker 3 Extended Double extruder 3D printer
- Ultimaker S5 Double extruder 3D printer with a larger print volume
- Formlabs Form 2
Laser Cutters
- Thunder Laser Nova51
- Thunder Laser Nova24
Electronics
- Agilent 4263b LCR Meter
- Agilent E3631A DC Power Supply
- MSO X2004A Oscilloscope
- Hakko E FM-206 Soldering iron
- Agilent E3630A DC Power Supply
Sewing & Embroidery
- Brother Lock 1034D Thread serger with differential feed
- Janome MC350E Computer-controlled embroidery machine
- Singer 5532 Sewing machine
Vinyl Cutter
- Roland GX 24
- Silhouette Cameo II
Woodworking
- DeWalt 735 Powered planing tool
- Grizzly G7943 Drill press
- Wen 3975 5-inch portable metal band saw
Metalworking
- Othermill Pro PCB Prototyping CNC
- Lathe
- Inventory in progress
Stained Glass
- Grinder
- Ring Saw
- Jewelry Tools/Accessories
Software
- Inventory in progress
Lasker Makerspace (Medical Campus - Lasker Building)
Columbia Engineering
The Lasker Makerspace is a Columbia Engineering-run prototyping space. The Makerspace provides tools for scientists and engineers, focusing on supporting projects with medical and clinical applications. Users will be trained as superusers on specific equipment. In addition to the equipment below, additional equipment is available in the Lasker building.
Staff, Contact Information, and Location
Faculty Director
Sam Sia, Ph.D.
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Contact
Sam Sia, Ph.D
[email protected]
Location
Mary Woodard Lasker Biomedical Research Building
Columbia University Irving Medical Center campus
Web Address
In development
Available Equipment
Note: training required
- Harrick Plasma Cleaner
- BioTek Synergy H1 Mono RDR Plate Reader
- Haas S Mini Mill
- PLS 6.150D Universal Laser Cutter System with Fume Extraction
- BioDot XYZ3060 Dispense Platform
- BioDot CM5000 Guillotine Cutter
- Innovative Office 1058 Paper Cutter
- Drill Press
- Hydraulic Press
Strength of Materials Laboratory (Carleton Lab)
Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics
The Robert A. W. Carleton Strength of Materials Laboratory (Carleton Lab) focuses on the testing of civil engineering scale structures and the multiscale characterization of materials ranging from soft matter to metals. The structures testing laboratory is equipped for research in engineering materials and structural elements, including fracture, fatigue, vibrations, health monitoring, and damage detection.
The Carleton Lab also provides its users an array of multiscale characterization tools: Keyence optical microscope, Keyence optical comparator and surface analyzer, Haake Mars rheometer, LECO hydrogen analyzer, SPECTRO spark optical emissions spectrometer (OES), and Wilson/Rockwell Hardness tester.
Staff, Contact Information, and Location
Faculty Director
Andrew Smyth, Ph.D.
Professor of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics
Director
Adrian Brügger, Ph.D.
Contact
William Hunnicutt. Ph.D.[email protected]
Location
Engineering Terrace Building, Room 161
Web Address
https://www.carleton.columbia.edu/
Available Equipment
Note: training required
Universal Testing Machines (UTM)
- Southwark Emery - 600,000 lb capacity UTM
- Instron 1500HDX - 300,000 lb capacity UTM
- Instron 5984 - 34,000 lb capacity UTM
- Instron 600DX - 135,000 lb capacity UTM
- MTS Criterion C43 - 7,000 lb capacity UTM
- MTS - 220,000 lb capacity dynamic UTM
- MTS Landmark - 22,000 lb capacity dynamic UTM
- MTS 6612-02A - 50,000 lb/1,650 ft-lb capacity Axial-Torsion dynamic UTM
- MTS 858 - 3,300 lb capacity dynamic UTM
- MTS - 100,000 lb capacity dynamic actuator
- MTS - 55,000 lb capacity dynamic actuator
Materials Characterization
- Leco DH603 Hydrogen Analyzer
- SPECTROMAXx stationary metal analyzer Spark OES
- TA Instruments DMA 850
- TA Instruments Q50 Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA)
- TA Instruments TAM Air Isothermal Calorimeter
- TA Instruments DiL 821 Vertical Dilatometer
- HAAKE Modular Advanced Rheometer System
- Wilson / Rockwell Hardness Tester
Microscopy & Imaging
- Keyence VHX-5000 high-fidelity optical microscope
- Keyence IM-7001 Image Dimension Measuring System
- Allied High Tech TechPress 3 Mounting Press
- MetPrep 3 Grinder/Polisher with Power Head and the AD-5 Fluid Dispenser
- Allied High Tech TechCut 4 precision Low-Speed Saw
- FLIR SC8300HD Thermal Camera
Environmental Testing & Aging
- Atlas SolarConstant Lamp with K.H. Steuernagel Lichttechnik GmbH Controller
- PTI Asphalt Pavement Analyzer Jr.
- Q-Fog Accelerated Corrosion Chamber
- QUV Accelerated Weathering Tester
- Schleibinger Geräte Freeze-Thaw Chamber
- Bench Top Type Ovens
Structural Dynamics & Health Monitoring
- ANCO/MTS Hydraulic 2 Ton Shake Table
- Bruel & Kjaer Vibration Exciter
- Kinemetrics Etna Strong Motion Accelerograph
- Trimble NetRS GPS Receiver and Zephyr 3 Base Antenna
Columbia Electrochemical Energy Center
Chemical Engineering
The CEEC Shared Lab is equipped with glove boxes for Li-ion battery research and limited fabrication facilities for coin cells. The facility contains ovens and furnaces for battery materials synthesis, as well as equipment for cycling coin cells and physical characterization of catalysts, electrodes, and electrolytes. Additionally, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is available for materials researchers in catalysis, fuel cells, batteries, and electrolysis.
Staff, Contact Information, and Location
Faculty Director
Daniel Steingart, Ph.D.
Stanley-Thompson Associate Professor of Chemical Metallurgy
Alan West, Ph.D.
Samuel Ruben-Peter G. Viele Professor of Electrochemistry
Contact
Jeff Fitts, Ph.D.
Executive Director[email protected]
Location
Seeley W. Mudd Building
Web Address
https://ceec.engineering.columbia.edu/
Available Equipment
Note: training required
Electrochemical Testing
- Gloveboxes
  - Eight 4-port < 1 ppm H2O < 1 ppm O2 argon dry boxes
- Battery Cyclers
  - 400 channels +/- 5 V 0.1 µA to 6 A
  - 20 channels +/- 20 V 20 A
  - 10 channels +/- 48 V 10 A
- Potentiostats
  - Over 20 channels of nA resolution +/- 10 V potentiostats with EIS
- Other Equipment
  - Five rotating disk electrodes
  - Two rotating hull cells
Fabrication
- Casting and Mix Equipment
  - Two spin coaters
  - Two automatic doctor blade coaters
  - Many manual coaters
  - Two planetary mixers
  - Many impeller mixers
- Ovens
  - Five tube furnaces
  - Ten vacuum ovens
  - Ten gravity ovens
- Rapid Prototyping
  - Form2 SLA resin printer and wash stations
  - 40 W Laser cutter
  - Prusa Mini FDM printer
  - Othermill CNC
  - Full Electronics benches with professional soldering/welding
Characterization
- Electron Microscopy (CNI)
  - FEI Talos 200 TEM with EELS
  - Zeiss SIGMA VP SEM with EDX
  - Nova Nano SEM with EDX
  - Full preparation suite
- Thermal, Chemical, and Structural Analysis
  - TA TAMIV Nano Calorimeter (CEEC)
  - Karl Fischer Titration/Coulometry (CEEC)
  - Agilent 8453 UV/Vis Spectrophotometer (CEEC)
  - Phi 5500 XPS (CEEC)
  - Agilent 1260 Infinity GPC
  - ECO SEC RI-UV GPC
  - Agilent Supernova SCXRD
  - Cryogenic R-700X Squid
  - XPERT3 Powder XRD
  - Renishaw InVia micro-Raman
  - TA Instruments Q500 TGA
  - Fastscan AFM
  - Horiba micro-Raman
Mechanical and Surface Analysis
- Custom Acoustic-Electrochemical Equipment
- Bruker AFM
- Woollam Ellipsometer
- Micromeritics ASAP BET Analyzer
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
- Bruker Avance NEO 400 NMR
- Bruker Avance NEO 600 NMR
Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM) Facility
Chemical Engineering
Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) is a powerful and versatile scanning probe microscopy technique capable of chemical imaging at the nano to micro scales. SECM can be used to measure local variation in charge transfer rates, morphology, conductivity, surface coverages, and more. SECM has proven to be a valuable tool for various applications spanning the chemical, physical, and biological sciences.
Staff, Contact Information, and Location
Faculty Director
Daniel Esposito, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering
Contact
Daniel Esposito, Ph.D.
[email protected]
Location
Engineering Terrace - ET172
Web Address
https://solarfuelsengineering.com/columbia-secm/
Available Equipment
Note: training required
- CHI 9200 Scanning Electrochemical Microscope SECM
Columbia Soft Matter Laboratory
Chemical Engineering
The Columbia Soft Matter Lab is a shared-use facility to assist investigators in discovering and characterizing polymer nanocomposites, including properties of self-assembly and functionality.
Staff, Contact Information, and Location
Faculty Co-Directors
Kyle Bishop, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemical Engineering
Oleg Gang, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemical Engineering and of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics
Sanat Kumar, Ph.D.
Bykhovsky Professor of Chemical Engineering
Contact
[email protected]
Location
Seeley W. Mudd Building, 8th Floor, Room 801
Available Equipment
Note: training required
- HR-3 Discovery Hybrid Rheometer (DHR) w/ ACS-3 Air Chiller System
- Zetasizer Nano Light Scattering System (DLS)
- Dynamic Light Scattering. Zetasizer Nano ZS
- Nanoparticle Tracking. Nanosight NS300 (Malvern Panalytical)
- Aligent Technologies- Cary 100 UV-Vis with Cary Temperature Controller
- Fluorimeter (HORIBA scientific)
- Optical Microscope with Linkham LTS 120 In-situ Thermal Chamber
- Q-Sense Explorer Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring System (QCM-D)
- Mat-Nordic X-ray Microfocus Scattering System (Small-Angle X-ray Scattering/SAXS) with high-temperature Linkam sample stage set up (-150C to 350C)Discovery TGA550 Auto Thermogravimetric Analyzers (TGA)
- 10. Broadband Concept 40 Turnkey Dielectric, Conductivity and Impedance Spectrometers (BDS) with Temperature Control
- TA Instruments Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) 250A-DSC2A-0010
- Carver Manual Hydraulic Hot Press
- UV/Ozone chamber
- UV-Vis Spectrophotometer
- Laurell Spin Coater ws-650mz-23nppb
- Ametek Digital Force Tester Chatillon C52-225 Series
- Eppendorf Mastercycler Nexus - 96 well PCR
- BIOrad C1000 Dual Channel 2x48 Thermal Cycler
- Thermo-Fisher Proflex 3x32 well PCR System
- Eppendorf ThermoMixer C
- Gel Electrophoresis Set x3 (2 medium, 1 large)
- Page Purification Equipment (without pump)
- Bio-rad gel Imager (Gel Doc XR+)
- Plate Reader (Infinite M Nano+)
- Eppendorf Centrifuge 5424R x2
- Benchtop Mini-centrifuge x2
- Automated Liquid Handling. OpenTron OT1+OT2 Liquid Handler
- Minus K MK52 optical table and workstation for high-performance vibration control
- Nikon Ti-U inverted optical / fluorescence microscope with motorized stage, multiple objectives (4x, 10x, 50x, 100x), and color camera
- Vision Research Phantom v310 high-speed camera with frame rates up to 10,000 fps.
- µPrint SE 3D printer for rapid prototyping of custom components
- Ramè-Hart 250 tensiometer and goniometer
- Trek 20/20 (x2) and 40/15 high voltage power amplifiers
- Keithley 2410 high-voltage source measure unit (1100V, 1A); Keithley 21612B dual-channel source measure unit (200V, 10A pulse); Keithley 6514 programmable electrometer; Keithley 3390 arbitrary waveform generator
Columbia Structural and Mechanical Characterization Laboratory
Applied Physics & Applied Mathematics
The Structural and Mechanical Characterization Lab is a user facility for Columbia University researchers and students. The laboratory contains equipment for microstructural characterization and structural and mechanical property characterization, including a Rigaku SmartLab 3 kW X-ray Diffractometer. In addition, the laboratory serves as a Materials Science Teaching Laboratory.
Staff, Contact Information, and Location
Director
Yuan Yang, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
Contact
Adrian M. Chitu, M.S.
Staff Associate
(212) 854-0650
[email protected]
Location
500W 120th Street
Web Address
https://mseshared.apam.columbia.edu/
Available Equipment
Note: training required
Micro-Structural Characterization
Structural and Mechanical Property Characterization
- Rigaku SmartLab 3 kW X-ray Diffractometer (Contact Adrian M. Chitu, M.S.)
- Instron 1321 Tester with Tensile and Torsion Capability
- Instron 1361 Tensile Equipment
- X-Ray Diffraction
The X-ray diffractometer has the following capabilities:
- Theta-2Theta measurements for phase identification
- X-ray reflectivity for thickness and roughness measurements;
- In-plane and out of plane glancing incidence X-ray diffraction measurements;
- Stress measurements;
- Rocking curve measurements for epitaxial quality; and
- Texture Analysis
Other Shared Tools and Resources from the Columbia Engineering Research Equipment Assistance Program

Graphics Processing Unit
Earth & Environmental Engineering
Faculty Contact: Pierre Gentine, Ph.D.
Nanosight Instrumentation
Biomedical Engineering
Equipment Location: Vanderbilt Clinic 12-234
Faculty Contact: Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, Ph.D.
Cryostat
Biomedical Engineering
Equipment Location: Engineering Terrace, Lab 394A
Faculty Contact: Nandan Nerurkar, Ph.D.
DCM Indenter Head and Software
Mechanical Engineering
Equipment Location: Engineering Terrace, Lab B67AA
Faculty Contact: Jeff Kysar, Ph.D.
Waters ACQUITY H-Class PLUS Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography System
Chemical Engineering
Faculty Contact: V. Faye McNeill, Ph.D.
High-performance 4-D Image Analysis Workstation with Imaris 9.7
Biomedical Engineering
Faculty Contact: Nandan Nerurkar, Ph.D.
High-throughput and Low-volume Nucleic Acid and Protein Quantification Instrumentation
Chemical Engineering
Faculty Contact: Oleg Gang, Ph.D.

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