Quick Access Proposals

Instructions for applicants

Description

A Quick Access Proposal is a request for beam time on an NCNR instrument at the first available opportunity. Such proposals will be held to a higher standard than regular proposals. While scientific urgency would be the usual justification for quick access, other reasons may also be considered. For example, a graduate student who needs crucial data to finish thesis work in a timely fashion may choose to submit a Quick Access proposal. The criterion of superior merit will apply in such a case.

Review

The Beam Time Allocation Committee (BTAC) will review Quick Access Proposals. A positive recommendation by the BTAC for beam time allocation will be made if the BTAC feels that the proposal would, without doubt, have received beam time if compared with other proposals in a normal Call for Proposals. In addition, special urgency must be present,i.e., the proposed work must be done as soon as possible or be preempted or become impracticable.

Non-reversion to a regular proposal

If a Quick Access Proposal is declined, it will not automatically be considered as a regular new proposal at the next deadline. It should be revised and resubmitted if the applicants still wish to perform the proposed measurements.

Continuation proposals; experimental reports

Applicants may submit a continuation proposal to follow up on the measurements carried out under a Quick Access Proposal. However, the continuation proposal will not be considered on a Quick Access basis, but will be subject to the usual proposal deadlines and reviewed at the next BTAC meeting. It must be accompanied by a one-page experimental report on the result of the Quick Access experiment.

Quick Access Proposal form

Quick Access Proposals should be submitted in the same way as regular proposals, i.e. through your NCNR-IMS account. Separate communication must be made to personal at the NCNR to notify us of your submission (e.g., you may send an e-mail message to wkamitakahara@nist.gov).

Access through collaboration

An alternative to submitting a Quick Access Proposal is to arrange collaboration with NIST scientists to request beam time reserved for in-house programs. Many users follow this mode of access for research in areas compatible with NIST programs. However, we recognize that it is not always possible to arrange such collaboration, and some users may prefer to submit a Quick Access Proposal instead.

Last modified 24-August-2009 by website owner: NCNR (attn: Przemek Klosowski)