It was a memorable day in the research lab of Lone Star College-Montgomery’s Biotechnology Institute when student Timothy Hall was presented with a scholarship from Kent Peterson, president and CEO of Fluid Imaging Technologies (FIT).

Peterson flew in from FIT headquarters in Maine to surprise Hall with FIT’s “A2B Scholarship,” amounting to two separate $1,000 gifts for education-related expenses.

“I was completely shocked,” said Hall, who is working toward his associate degree in biotechnology after a chemical injury ended his previous career. “I’m still overwhelmed with the generosity.”

Hall was demonstrating to fellow classmates a FlowCAM® machine recently purchased from FIT when Peterson made the presentation. Due to a three-year relationship with FIT, LSC-Montgomery recently acquired the highly complex instrument at a discounted price, which also included the scholarship awarded to Hall.

The FlowCAM® performs detailed analyses of microscopic particles suspended in fluids and has applications in a wide range of industries, including pharmaceutical, petrochemical, food and beverage, and wastewater. Hall and other LSC-Montgomery biotechnology students use the instrument to study the quantity and quality of algae cultures as they research algal biofuel, nutraceutical, microbial fuel cell, and water remediation applications.

“What’s typical in a biotechnology training program is, unfortunately, not state-of-the-art equipment,” said Dr. Daniel Kainer, director of the biotechnology institute. “But in this case, LSC-Montgomery now has a state-of-the-art piece of equipment, one exactly like a company in this industry would use.”

Hall will use the scholarship to complete his biotechnology degree, as well as an additional associate degree in biology.

For more information about the biotechnology program at LSC-Montgomery, visit www.LoneStar.edu/biotechnology-dept.

LSC-Montgomery is located at 3200 College Park Drive, one-half mile west of Interstate 45, between Conroe and The Woodlands. For more information about the college, call 936.273.7000, or visit www.LoneStar.edu/montgomery.

With 75,000 students in credit classes, and a total enrollment of more than 90,000, Lone Star College System is the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area, and the fastest-growing community college system in Texas. Dr. Richard Carpenter is the chancellor of LSCS, which consists of six colleges including LSC-CyFair, LSC-Kingwood, LSC-Montgomery, LSC-North Harris, LSC-Tomball, and LSC-University Park, five centers, LSC-University Center at Montgomery, LSC-University Center at University Park, Lone Star Corporate College, and LSC-Online. To learn more visit LoneStar.edu.