Becoming an NCEM User
Step 1: Submit a proposal
Step 2: Before you begin your research
Step 3: Instrument qualification
Step 4: Accessing NCEM facilities and performing research
Step 1: Submit a proposal
Deadlines for new proposals are March 15, June 15, September 15, December 15.
Access to NCEM facilities is granted to researchers whose proposals are accepted by the NCEM proposal review committee. NCEM users are expected to have a strong background in transmission electron microscopy, and submitted proposals should include evidence of prior electron microscopy experience by the intended operator. Researchers who do not have sufficient experience in electron microscopy may be able to use NCEM facilities through a collaborative project.
Proposals are evaluated and ranked by an external Proposal Review Committee based on the following criteria:
a. Scientific merit.
b. Technical feasibility.
c. Need for NCEM’s unique or advanced facilities.
d. Experience of the research group required to achieve the proposal’s goals.
e. Availability of NCEM resources needed to support the proposed work.
Proposals are either accepted for a period of 18 months or they are rejected. For more details on how to write a successful proposal, go here. You can also download an example of a successfully-written proposal.
All proposals expire after 18 months and must be renewed. Otherwise, they will be automatically terminated. The proposal renewal process is like the initial proposal review process, but presumably with greater information available about the merits of the proposal. The proposal review committee will decide at the end of each 18 month period whether to extend the proposal for an additional year of research or terminate it.
Complete the NCEM Proposal Form by clicking on this link: NCEM online proposal form.
Follow the instructions carefully and be sure to provide the information requested. If you have questions about a technical aspect of your proposed research please contact the appropriate staff member associated with your intended facility. For general questions please contact:
Jane Cavlina
National Center for Electron Microscopy, MS 72-150
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley, CA 94720
Tel.: (510) 486-6036 Fax: (510) 486-5888
Email: jlcavlina@lbl.gov
Step 2: Before you begin your research
Upon approval of your proposal, you must:
- Contact your NCEM scientific advisor/contact and discuss the logistics of your project, included in the approval email you received. Discuss your arrival date.
- Complete all the following forms, sign, scan and return in pdf format to NCEM's Administrator (JLCavlina@LBL.gov)
These forms must be completed and sent no later than 2 weeks before your first visit to NCEM. - Guest Forms.pdf
- You will have to be badged before performing any work at NCEM. Once all necessary forms are completed, please contact NCEM's Administrator (JLCavlina@LBL.gov) to set up a badging appointment on site.
- Take the NCEM safety course NCM0010 (found on this page) print out and complete the safety controls form found at the end of the safety course with your assigned NCEM scientific advisor/contact, he must sign it also.
- Turn in your completed safety controls form to John Turner, office #217 (Phone: 510/486-5700).
- If you are not a US Citizen, you must inform NCEM's Administrator (JLCavlina@LBL.gov) of your citizenship to determine the appropriate visa required for work at Berkeley Lab.
Step 3: Instrument qualification
After completing the required safety training, a new user should contact the NCEM scientific advisor in charge of his or her proposal and arrange for the necessary instrument qualification sessions. Instrument instruction will include a demonstration of specific instrument characteristics and will depend on the experience of the user and the goals of the proposed work. Following instruction each user must take a “driving test” on the instrument to become a qualified user. Different levels of access apply for evening and weekend users, and some instruments might require a separate driving test for each instrument subcomponent (such as different in situ holders).
Instrument driving tests may be viewed here.
Step 4: Accessing facilities and performing research
The online scheduling website enables approved users to schedule instrument time for a given month beginning on the 15th day of the preceding month. This policy gives NCEM staff the flexibility to provide for training, out-of-town users, instrument development, and workshops. If you have special circumstances and need to schedule an instrument session prior to the 15th of the preceding month please contact the staff member in charge of your proposal.
Once they have demonstrated competence by passing a "driving" test, users may schedule sessions during regular business hours for instruments specified under each approved proposal. Users who have passed an instrument driving test for evening and weekend sessions must contact the staff member in charge of their proposal to obtain after-hours card-key access. Each instrument has sign-up rules and scheduled sessions appropriate to the instrument and determined by the staff member in charge.
NCEM users are encouraged to join the NCEM User Association, which was established to provide a forum for discussion and exchange.
All published work resulting from use of this facility must include an acknowledgement to NCEM and the DOE as follows:
This work was performed at NCEM, which is supported by the Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02—05CH11231.
In addition, all published work resulting from use of NCEM must be added to the NCEM publication database.
Directions to NCEM from the LBNL directions page
(The National Center for Electron Microscopy is Building 72 within the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.)
Accommodations
You can find lodging in the Berkeley area at the above link.