Updated September 2, 2022
SLAC and SSRL management will continue to carefully monitor public health guidance and adjust COVID-19 rules accordingly should circumstances change. Note these updates related to vaccinations, testing, distancing and mask requirements:
- Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test is no longer required to access SLAC.
- Weekly COVID surveillance testing for people who are not fully vaccinated is no longer required.
- Masking is strongly recommended. However, well-fitting, high-quality masks (N95, KN95 or surgical masks) are required while working onsite at SLAC for 3-5 days after domestic or international travel.* (contact the SSRL Duty Operator, Safety Officer Matt Padilla, or SMB Lab Manager Risa Benwell if you need a mask)
- Masking is still required on the Stanford Marguerite shuttles and inside the Occupational Health Center office suites in SLAC Building 28. In alignment with DOE requirements, masking will still be required in all government vehicles with more than one occupant.
- * COVID testing continues to be an important screening tool, particularly after travel. Users are encouraged to bring rapid test kits or these can be obtained locally from CVS, Walgreens, RiteAid, etc.
- Domestic travelers can test at Day 3 post travel and with a negative test can discontinue wearing a mask.
- If travel was international and you choose not to test on Day 5, you no longer need to wear a mask all the time, but you must distance yourself from others when in unmasked situations (like eating, drinking). So, if you maintain 6 feet distance, you can be unmasked Days 5-10 post travel. No restrictions after Day 10. If you test negative at or after Day 5, then there are no restrictions.
- Users are encouraged to complete the COVID-19 Health Check before traveling to SLAC.
- If you have a Stanford or SLAC computer account, log into the Stanford Health Check with your SUNet or SLAC email address.
- All other external users log into the user portal, click on the tab for the COVID-19 Health Check and complete the questions. https://userportal.slac.stanford.edu/
- Continue to self-monitor for COVID symptoms.
- Do not come on site while COVID-positive or experiencing COVID-related symptoms.
- On-site events and gatherings with more than 50 people require ES&H approval of COVID-19 Safety Plan.
SSRL Operations and Access Update
Rapid Access to Support COVID-19 Related Research
COVID-19 Related Resources, News, Links
SSRL Operations and Access Update
The FY2022 SSRL SPEAR3 and beam line user operations ENDED on July 29, 2022. Check the schedule for updates on operations which resume in late October.
- Contact beam line staff to discuss SSRL capabilities and research plans as well as to coordinate remote access and sample shipment.
- Contact the user office for information on beam time and site access.
- Review SSRL access procedures.
- Ensure user agreement with your institution.
- All onsite users are required to complete core training which includes:
- Course 219 - ESH Safety Orientation
- Course 115 - General Employee Radiological Training (GERT)
- Course CS100 - Cyber Security Training for Lab Users (Also required for Remote Access)
- SSRL Safety Orientation Talk (mandatory onsite training in SSRL Building 120, Monday-Friday at 2 pm)
- Unless completed since August 2021, users must complete the onsite SSRL Safety Orientation Talk.
- After receiving a SLAC ID, proceed to SSRL Building 120 and sign up for this in-person, hands-on training on the clipboard in the Building 120 lobby.
- Meet the SSRL Duty Operator (DO) in the Building 120 lobby shortly before 2 pm to join this weekday training class.
- Names of users (who have registered on the user portal, are listed on the beam time support request, completed training, and complied with access requirements) will be included on the SLAC Site Access List.
- To obtain or renew your SLAC ID badge and proximity access, plan to arrive at SLAC Monday-Friday, 7 am-1 pm.
- Bring original photo identification for verification by SLAC Security (including passport/visa documents for authorized foreign nationals).
- Upon arrival, stop at the Security Main Gate with photo ID ready to present to Security.
- Visit the Science and User Support Building (SUSB - Building 058) to check-in at the VUE Center/Badging Office to receive (or renew) a SLAC ID badge and activate proximity access.
SLACafe is open Monday-Friday 8 am-2:30 pm. The Verve coffee shop is open from 7 am to 2 pm Monday to Friday.
In addition to the SSRL beam lines, several cryo-electron microscopes are operational; see Stanford-SLAC Cryo-EM Center (S2C2) and National Center for Macromolecular Imaging (NCMI).
To learn about or request access to the SSRL Sample Prep Lab or lab equipment, visit the lab website and click on “Laboratory Access”.
- Follow the instructions to complete and submit the online user access agreement form.
- Annually, complete the online portion of Course 204 - SSRL/LCLS/CryoEM Sample Prep Lab (in-person training is no longer required every visit, unless specifically requested by the user).
- For more details and how to reserve a lab space, please contact Charlie Tapio ( ) in advance.
Support COVID-19 Related Research
We welcome Rapid Access proposals for COVID-19 related studies. Please contact us if you have COVID-19 related projects that require access to our techniques or beam lines.
Department of Energy Basic Energy Sciences light sources want to ensure they are doing everything possible to enable research into this virus, vaccines or other treatment. The DOE supports research into structural biology in partnership with the National Institutes of Health, and other partners. This portal collects relevant structural biology resources in a single location, listing their basic characteristics and a point of contact for each.
COVID-19 Related Resources, News and Links
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SARS-CoV-2 protein caught severing critical immunity pathway (September 2022). Powerful X-rays from SLAC’s synchrotron reveal that our immune system’s primary wiring seems to be no match for a brutal SARS-CoV-2 protein.
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A fast, accurate syste for quickly solving stubborn RNA structures from pond scum, the SARS-CoV-2 virus and more (August 2021)
- In a search for COVID-19 treatments, researchers pursue a drug used on cats (August 2020)
- SLAC joins the global fight against COVID-19: The lab is responding to the coronavirus crisis by imaging disease-related biomolecules, developing standards for reliable coronavirus testing and enabling other essential research.
- Three SSRL scientists – Wah Chiu, Marc Salit and Thomas Weiss – were featured in the Stanford News article “Meet the Stanford researchers mobilizing to understand, fight COVID-19.
See SLAC Emergency page, SLAC COVID-19 guidelines and procedures, or additional COVID-19 resources from Stanford and SLAC.
With COVID-19 safety protocols in place, SLAC has been able to maintain a safe environment in which to work on site. SSRL will continue to monitor COVID-19 developments and employ a conservative approach to scheduling onsite external users appropriate for the level of the COVID-19 transmission threat.
