Proposal Submittal and Scheduling Procedures for Research

Beam Time Allocation/Scheduling

SSRL operates as a dedicated synchrotron radiation source for approximately nine months per year (usually from late October through late July. Maintenance and upgrade activities are arranged during the down time (August-September). Registering as a user and submitting a proposal through the user portal are the first steps to access beam time at SSRL.

The SSRL run year is divided into three scheduling periods, and standard proposals are generally eligible to request beam time for up to six scheduling periods. The proposal form requires prospective users to indicate the total number of shifts desired on all SSRL beam lines or techniques during the lifetime of the proposal (up to two years). If approved by the Proposal Review Panel, this becomes the maximum amount of beam time.

When preparing proposals, state what you want to do (science), why it is worth doing (context), and how you plan to address the problem (methods). See below for more specific guidelines and advice. Contact SSRL scientists to help answer questions about the accelerator (SPEAR3), beam lines, capabilities, science or techniques.

Research teams can request many beam lines and techniques in a single proposal and are encouraged to plan accordingly. Users are discouraged from submitting multiple proposals unless the proposed research is completely unrelated. Multiple proposals from the same research team adds significant burden to the SSRL Proposal Review Panel and peer reviewers during the proposal review process. For this reason, multiple proposals from members of the same research team will be flagged during the peer review process, and these may be combined, limited in lifetime and/or beam time allocations, or terminated.

SSRL proposals are peer reviewed and competitively rated by the SSRL Proposal Review Panel (PRP) on a scale from 1 (highest) to 5 (lowest). In some cases, the PRP will indicate if the proposed experiment should have a shorter lifecycle or a limited amount of beam time to determine feasibiity or encourage new exploratory studies.

Successful proposals are eligible to request and may be awarded beam time on SSRL beam lines, with priority given to the highest rated proposals and those which demonstrate efficient and productive use of beam time. Proposals rated better than 1.4 are most likely to receive their optimal number of shifts on their preferred beam line; other requests are accommodated as beam time is available. This separate step of requesting beam time for active proposals provides a mechanism for the proposal team to indicate their desired beam line(s), technique(s), specific equipment or beam line configuratons, amount of beam time, and dates when they have conflicts or preferences during the scheduling cycle. These elements provide the latest information from proposal teams and are needed to develop the beam line schedules.

Note: During the beam time scheduling process if members of the same research team have multiple proposals and submit multiple beam time requests, they will not likely be granted beam time for each of the proposals in each scheduling period. Most SSRL beam lines are significantly oversubscribed by proposals with high scientific merit; consequently, requests for highly oversubscribed beam lines will likely be limited to one (in rare cases two) experiments per research group per run year.

When submitting new proposals or beam time requests, remember that attention will be given to published results from previous experiments utilizing SSRL's unique facilities that have appropriately acknowledged SSRL, DOE and funding agencies. Updated publications and acknowledgements help to demonstrate the scientific achievements and productivity of SSRL beam time as well as the scientists who have been awarded beam time at this facility.

Contact us when exciting results are about to be published so that we can work with user institutions to develop the story and to communicate user research findings to a broader audience through our newsletters and science highlights.

Standard General User (GU) Proposals

Standard GU proposals can be submitted through the user portal three times a year.

Submit new X-ray/VUV proposals by MAY 1, AUGUST 1, NOVEMBER 1.
- Requests for a one-time proposal extension may be submitted via email attachment before the proposal expiration date (Download X-ray/VUV form)

Submit new Macromolecular Crystallography proposals by APRIL 1, JULY 1, DECEMBER 1.
- See Macromolecular Crystallography proposal guide.
- Requests for a one-time proposal extension may be submitted via email attachment before the proposal expiration date (Download Macromolecular Crystallography form)

How to Wow! See tips for a successful proposal. A good proposal answers all the ‘W’-questions. WHO is planning WHAT, WHERE (beam line), WHEN, WHY, and HOW.

For each proposal, the PRP provides a numeric rating as well as a recommended beam time allocation for the lifetime of the proposal.

In addition to standard proposals, Rapid Access and Letter of Intent (LOI) proposals may provide mechanisms for quick access to a small amount of beam time to test the feasibility of new ideas. Submit all New Proposals, Beam Time and Support Requests through the User Portal.

Instructions for New Standard Proposals (Not LOI or Rapid Access)

Register and submit new proposals through the user portal. In addition to the questions asked through the User Portal, standard proposals contain 2 main parts: a brief abstract and the proposal description. See instructions below.

Title and Abstract: In the respective fields, provide a title and brief summary of the proposal that you would be willing to share in various reports. Briefly state the scientific justification, the planned experiments, the techniques to be used, and the expected outcomes; limit to 1900 characters.

Proposal Description: Describe your experiment including the following information, with Specific Aims and Planned Experiments clearly explained. The Project Description must be in PDF format using 12-pt font, 1 inch margins and single spacing. The proposal PDF is limited to 3 pages (not including references). Provide the PI/Spokesperson's name in the upper right hand corner of each page.

Background/Significance (Provide a brief description of the current state of the chosen research area, concentrating on any gaps in current understanding that this proposal is designed to address. The significance of the research question being addressed should also be discussed. Essentially, answer the questions 'why is this research of interest?'. Be clear and concise; remember that reviewers may not be precisely in your area of research.)
Specific Aims (Itemize the particular questions you want to answer, preferably as a numbered or bulleted list. Very briefly, describe how these questions target the overall research question discussed above.)
Planned Experiments (Preferably organized by your Specific Aims, state the experiments that you plan to perform in pursuit of the answers to your specific aims. Be explicit with samples you will examine, techniques you will employ, and results you might expect. It may be appropriate to comment on how you would respond to difficulties encountered.)
Data Interpretation Methods (Provide a brief overview of the methods of data interpretation you intend to use and of your experience, if appropriate.)
Need for Synchrotron Radiation and SSRL (Describe why you believe that the synchrotron radiation techniques you propose are required or desirable to pursue your specific aims. If you are familiar with SSRL beam lines, specify which beam line(s) you want to use for your experiments and why; estimate how much beam time will be required, preferably organized by your Specific Aims.)
References (Provide references to related work, including work demonstrating characterization by more conventional methods.)

* Any potential safety related issues must be disclosed when submitting a new proposal. List and describe any safety concerns that may arise with samples you will examine, equipment you will use, or techniques you will perform (including any physical, chemical or biological hazards) and how these issues will be addressed in the experiment design.

Rapid Access to SSRL Beam Lines

Users may submit a Rapid Access Proposal through the User Portal to apply for a one-time allocation of a small amount of beam time (1-5 shifts) which may be set aside during the run cycle on a few beam lines. Rapid access proposals may be brief but should provide sufficient detail for review and rating by the Proposal Review Panel. Rapid access proposals must include a strong justification of why rapid access is needed. Often the justification is to try new ideas or to conduct initial feasibility tests. Rapid access proposals compete with standard peer reviewed proposals and, unless very highly rated, can have difficulty obtaining beam time on oversubscribed beam lines. Rapid access proposals may be submitted at any time and are subject to the availability of rapid access to numerous SSRL technqiues

Rapid Access Macromolecular Crystal Screening and Gateway to LCLS

This is a new streamlined Rapid Access program specifically for screening crystals for new macromolecular structures or for maximizing the diffraction resolution. The program may utilize both SSRL and LCLS resources, as needed. Accepted projects will receive a one-time beamtime allocation on the SSRL Microfocus beam line BL12-1 for cryogenic and/or elevated temperature screening. Crystals should be on-hand, ready for immediate data collection. After screening at BL12-1, projects meeting the standards of technical and scientific merit may be offered 1 to 6 hours of screening time using the standard goniometer setup at the MFX station at LCLS. Other LCLS instrument configurations may be considered if the scientific needs dictate it. To be considered for screening time at LCLS, a report of the screening results from BL12-1 should be submitted as an addendum to the proposal, for review by the LCLS Proposal Review Panel as part of its Protein Crystal Screening program. A minimum of 2 months’ notice will be given to the selected user groups to allow for appropriate preparation for LCLS beam time. Contact Lisa Dunn for submission details.

Macromolecular Crystallography Block Allocation Group Access

Block Allocation Groups (BAGs) are a mode of beam time access intended for groups of researchers that want to combine their short beam time requests into a single proposal in order to permit greater flexibility in beam time allocation and scheduling. BAG proposals may be submitted by groups working at a shared university or with a shared affiliation. Combining the beam time of individual groups permits greater flexibility in the choice of projects and samples during a given allocation period and offers the individuals in the BAGs the benefit of access to more regular allocation of beam time.

Currently, BAG proposals are accepted on SSRL BL14-1, BL9-2, BL12-2 and BL12-1. Only measurements based on existing, standard setups available at these beamlines will be considered for the BAG beam time. Read more about Block Allocation Group Proposals

Letter of Intent (LOI)

At the discretion of the SSRL Director (and pending review by the Safety Officer), a small amount of beam time (6-18 shifts) may be available for students to complete their thesis work or for users to test the feasibility of new ideas (including users from industry). Letter of intent (LOI) proposals must include a strong justification for why LOI time at SSRL is needed. Users may submit LOI proposals through the User Portal at any time, NOTE: LOI proposals are subject to the availability of beam time. LOI proposals compete with peer reviewed and rated proposals, and they may have difficulty competing for beam time on oversubscribed beam lines.

* The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (SC), which is the primary sponsor of SSRL, requires that a limited set of information relating to user demographics and user research proposals be collected and transmitted to SC annually. A subset of this information, including user name, institutional affiliation(s), and proposal title(s), will be publically disseminated at the conclusion of the fiscal year as part of an SC user facility user experiments database on the SC website.

Proposal Extension Requests

Proposals that have not already exceeded the number of shifts originally estimated when the proposal was submitted may be eligible to request a one-time extension from the SSRL Proposal Review Panel (PRP). If approved, the PRP may extend the proposal up to 2 additional years, change the rating, and/or limit the amount of beam time allocated.

Proposal extension requests should be submitted to SSRL before the initial two-year beam time eligibility period expires. Extension requests will be accepted and reviewed on the same schedule as new proposals.

Submit new Macromolecular Crystallography proposals or extension requests by APRIL 1, JULY 1, DECEMBER 1.
- Complete the Macromolecular Crystallography Proposal Extension Request form attach a document that summarizes progress and future plans, and submit this as a PDF attachment via email before the proposal expiration date. (Download Macromolecular Crystallography form)
Submit new X-ray/VUV proposals or extension requests by MAY 1, AUGUST 1, NOVEMBER 1.
- Send X-ray/VUV extension requests summarizing the following by email.

Extension requests must summarize the following (send extension request document by email):

Proposal Number and Spokesperson's Name
Progress (provide a progress report describing work accomplished at SSRL on this proposal to date, 2-4 paragraphs)
New elements (if applicable, describe any new elements that may add interest to extending the proposal, 1-2 paragraphs)
Future plans (describe the next steps or future plans proposed to be pursued under the existing proposal, 1-2 paragraphs)
Update collaborators (if different from the original proposal, list current collaborators, including institutuion and email address; ask new collaborators to register as new users on the user portal)
Summary of beam time (list beam time used at facilities other than SSRL-this will not affect your SSRL proposal extension request)
Publications (list all publications related to work conducted at SSRL on the proposal and include a link or copy of 1-3 of the key publications) *

* When submitting new proposals or extensions, keep in mind that attention will be given to proposals that have published results from experiments utilizing SSRL's unique facilities and that have appropriately acknowledged SSRL and funding agencies on all related publications. Updated publications and acknowledgements help to demonstrate the scientific achievements and productivity of users and of this facility.

Contact us when exciting results are about to be published so that we can work with user's institutions to develop the story and to communicate user research findings to a broader audience through our newsletters and science highlights.

Based on the extension material, the PRP may extend the proposal for up to two years, change the rating, or terminate the proposal.

Beam Time Allocation/Scheduling

How to Request Beam Time

Review deadlines and submit beam time through the user portal before the posted deadlines. Successful proposals may be awarded beam time on SSRL beam lines, with priority given to the highest rated proposals and those which demonstrate efficient and productive use of beam time.

Users must submit separate beam time requests for each beam line, technique, equipment configuration or time period desired. Although beam time can be requested on multiple SSRL beam lines over several scheduling periods, it is important to remember that requests for highly oversubscribed beam lines will often be limited to one experiment per research group per run year, depending on the specific beam line availability. For more details, review How to Request & Access Beam Time.

SSRL Access Policy

Review SSRL Access Policy

Macromolecular Crystallography (PX). See also: proposal guide
X-ray/VUV

SSRL Schedules

Review SSRL SPEAR3 Operating Schedule and Beam Line Schedules.

Publications & Reports

SSRL provides technical tools for world-leading science at no charge for scientists who conduct non-proprietary research, with the understanding that significant results will be publicly disseminated. Scientists must acknowledge use of the facility in presentations and publications and must inform the facility of all publications, theses, awards, patents and other forms of recognition resulting from research conducted fully or partially at SSRL. These metrics of scientific achievements and productivity are extremely important to the facility and to funding agencies. Please contact us as results are about to be published so that we can work with you to more broadly communicate your research.

Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource

Submit New Proposals

Standard GU Proposals

Instructions for New Standard Proposals (Not LOI or Rapid Access)