Scientific Facility User Access Policy- Synchrotron & Neutron Facilities

Chi-Chang Kao

Stanford Synchrotron Radiation LightsourceMarch 17, 2011, BESAC

Outline

• Facility user access policy• Evolution of BES facility user access• Issues

Facility User Access Policy

• It defines the ways in which scientific user community can access the facility

• It contains elements to ensure – Open and fair access to the facility– Safe and efficient utilization of the facility

• The goal is to maximize the scientific productivity and societal impact

Scope of Facility Access Policy

• Modes of user access– General User, Partner User, Proprietary, Discretionary

• Types of Beam Lines– Facility beam lines, Diagnostic/instrumentation beam lines,

Participating Research Teams/Collaborative Access teams

• Proposal review and beam time allocation process• Advisory bodies• Roles and responsibilities of users• Facility staff beam time• Reporting requirements

PRTs and CATs

• Early 1980s: Participating Research Teams (PRTs) were created at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS)

-Bring external funds to build, maintain, and operate

beam lines

-Manage up to 75% of the beam time for their scientific program, and support the reaming 25% beam time for use by General Users

-Typically are given three-year renewable term

- Approved by the Scientific Advisory Committee• Mid 1990s: Collaborative Access Teams (CATs) were created at the

Advanced Photon Source (APS) with terms similar to PRTs at the NSLS

PRTs and CATs

PRTs and CATs have brought resources and made important intellectual contribution to the development of the facilities.

However:•Majority of beam time in the facility controlled by PRTs and CATs is not a sustainable model for the facility as the user community expands quickly over the last two decades•The complexity and scale of new beam lines are increasingly difficult for small research groups to build and maintain•Does not allow the facility to take advantage of economy of scale and is difficult to enforce standards (hardware, software, etc.) across facility

Partner User as an alternative to PRTs/CATs

• Early 2000s: Approved Programs were introduced at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) to transition PRTs to facility beam lines.

– An investigator or a group of investigators receive an assured percentage of beam time for a period of a few years to carry out an extended program of research

– It is expected that the investigator(s) will bring in resources that enhance the capability of the facility

In contrast to PRTs and CATs

– AP creates a partnership with the facility by providing instrumentation, staffing, or scientific/technical expertise

– AP is peer-reviewed with limited life time

• Similar partner user programs were adopted at APS and NSLS.

Facility Owned and Operated Model

• Mid 2000s: Fully facility owned and operated model was adopted at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS).– No PRTs and CATs– Up to 20% of the beam time is allowed for partner users

• APS and NSLS adopted facility owned and operated model and moved to convert PRTs and CATs to facility operated beam lines

• Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) has always operated in this model (There are a few PRTs, but SSRL manages those beam lines)

Today

• Facility owned and operated model has been adopted by all facilities– Transition from PRTs and CATs to facility beam lines at NSLS and APS

continues (resource limited)– PRTs and CATs still exist under special circumstances, in particular

beam lines funded by NIH and NSF

• Partner user programs have been integrated successfully. User community can be engaged without the problems of raising large quantities of money for funding an entire beamline/sector.

Facility Comparison

• The demand of beam time is typically 2-3 times on well-supported beam lines

User Facility NSLS APS SSRL ALS SNS ESRFOperational Beamlines 55* 63 26 38 14 42End Stations 58 87 31 42 14 42

PRT/CAT End Stations 36 37 0 14 0 10

22 50 31 22 12 32End Stations w/ CU/PU investment 15 42 3 16 11

User Demographics %Academic users 73% 74% 67% 63% 62% 97%

Government + others 20% 20% 28% 32% 37%

Industrial users 7% 6% 5% 5% 1% 3%

Facility Owned & Operated End Stations

*NSLS has 17 additional Diagnostic and Instrumentation BLs not generally open to GU except occasionally through agreement.

Macromolecular Crystallography

• High throughput• Automation• Mail-in, remote and rapid access

98% of MX user at SSRL are remote users

Robotic Sample Mounting

Issues

– Uniformity of user access policy• BES guideline vs facility discretion

– Partner users• Incentive to attract best users and investment

– Industrial users• User agreement, IP, review process

– DOE Mission needs• NNSA needs, ex: calibration of filters and detectors for

NIF and Omega

– Counting remote users