The process of beamtime allocation and scheduling starts with a proposal for experimentation.  Questions regarding the safety of a proposal are addressed by the CHESS Safety Committee. CHESS accepts several types of proposals from users seeking a beamtime allocation on one of the CHESS x-ray stations.  User Administrator Kathy Dedrick (607-255-0920), is the primary contact for users who wish to use CHESS facilities. Below we describe 4 types of proposals, as well as the information needed to bring hazardous materials to CHESS.

Bringing Materials to CHESS - This applies to all CHESS users.  As a prerequisite for work at CHESS it must be established whether or not hazardous materials are involved.  All proposals must have an up-to-date Materials Declaration Form for either Hazardous Materials, Non-Hazardous Materials, Viral Materials, or Heavy Atom Compounds Materials.

Express-Mode proposals or Express-Mode on-line proposals

• These are proposals for short periods of time to carry out straight-forward measurements in protein.

Get up to 49 hours for protein crystallography measurements on the A1 and F1 stations using the monochromatic oscillation bench cameras.

Up to 96 hours can be allocated on B1, B2, or D1 for materials studies.

96 hours may also be allocated on F2 for MAD phasing, optimized anomalous, and short wavelength measurements.

***NOTE*** For MAD studies, a CHESS Express Mode form must be submitted with a standard non-hazardous materials declaration form as well as a heavy atoms declaration, if appropriate. Work involving hazardous materials cannot be performed under "Express Mode". The CHESS Safety Committee will determine if a particular heavy atom experiment is hazardous. Please follow the format and provide us with 1 original copy of the proposal.

Time is awarded on a first-come basis after a review by an internal committee, in a manner which will minimally interfere with time allocations for Standard CHESS proposals.


• Stations - A1, B1, B2, D1, F1 and F2

The A1 and F1 stations provide 13.5 keV beams that are focused in both planes for single wavelength protein crystallography measurements. F2 provides tunable energy x-ray beams (6-40 keV) focused in both planes for MAD protein crystallography measurements. B1 provides unfocused white radiation from a bending magnet for Energy-Dispersive high-pressure work in diamond-anvil cells. B2 provides tunable monochromatic radiation for Angle-Dispersive high pressure studies. D1 provides tunable wide-bandpass radiation suitable for small- or wide-angle scattering measurements.

• These are proposals for short period access to test an idea or procedure at one of the CHESS stations.

Get up to 4 days duration. A CHESS form entitled "Feasibility Study Proposal Form"; must be submitted with an appropriate hazardous or non-hazardous materials declaration form.

Please follow the format closely and provide us with 1 original copy of the proposal. This proposal will be reviewed by a local committee (with outside consultants if necessary). Beam-time will be allocated for up to four days in a way to minimally interfere with time allocations for Standard CHESS proposals. The time allocated is to establish whether or not an experiment will work. If the feasibility study answers the question in the affirmative, then a Standard CHESS Proposal can be submitted to gain larger blocks of time.

Standard proposals

• Proposals are used for repeated allocations of beamtime over a period of up to 2 years.

Standard proposals are for extended blocks of beam-time. They are accepted in the Spring and Fall of each year and are active for a period of two years from the date of submission. Standard proposals are reviewed by independent peer referees. These reviews are then considered by the CHESS Proposal Review Panel, whose task is to arrive at a composite rating for each of the proposals submitted. A form entitled "CHESS Standard Proposal Form" must be submitted with an appropriate hazardous or non-hazardous materials declaration form. Please follow the format closely and provide us with 1 original copy of the proposal. It is not essential to fill the limit of 10 typewritten pages; the more concise the proposal the better it will be received.

Program proposals

• Used for a series of intellectually linked experiments, up to 2 years; renewable for another 2 years.

These experiments should be designed to address larger issues in a specific field than would be possible with only a single experiment. They will be accepted in the normal Spring and Fall cycle and will be reviewed as with normal proposals by independent peer referees and ultimately the CHESS Proposal Review Panel. A form entitled "CHESS Program Proposal Form" must be submitted with an appropriate hazardous or non-hazardous materials declaration form.
***NOTE*** The Program Proposal form is not included in this package, but must be requested from the Proposal Administrator Kathy Dedrick (607)255-0920.

Program Proposals are active for a period of two years. They can be renewed for a second 2-year period by submitting a CHESS Program Extension Request Form. Normally, the renewal request will be reviewed only by the Proposal Review Panel.

Proposals that describe only a single experiment, or several unrelated experiments, or that do not address specific broad goals are not suitable for Program Proposals.

 

Last Update: 2006-09-21