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The Budding Researchers Support Program intends to encourage budding researchers who will shape the future of synchrotron radiation research. Under the program, we will provide support for doctoral students with an exploratory and original research proposal or research theme. Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. Please prepare your proposal application using the following guidelines and instructions. 

1. Research Area

Research using synchrotron radiation (same as general proposals). Beamlines available for this program are the same as general proposals.

2. Application Requirements

At the time of experiment at the SPring-8, applicants must be doctoral students who can show initiative, work independently, and be self-reliant when conducting research (At the time of proposal application, an applicant may be a prospective Ph.D. student). All applicants must obtain permission to apply from their Ph.D. advisors, who can be responsible for the experiment at the SPring-8.

3. Support for Expenses

In principle, we will cover the domestic travel expenses including the SPring-8 Guest House lodging expenses for two people (the project leader and a student/project team member) up to twice. At this point, however, it is uncertain if we will be able to obtain the necessary funding for 2009A.

4. Research Period

2009A (From April through July 2009)

5. Beamlines and Beamtime Available to Users

Beamlines and beamtime available to users are listed below. Please click on the links to see the specifications and status of experimental stations. If you have no experience using the desired beamline or if you have questions about the experimental stations, please contact the beamline scientist of the beamline before applying for beamtime. To see what kind of experiments have been performed at SPring-8, please check with the SPring-8 Solution Database.

Public Beamlines:

RIKEN Beamlines:
Please contact the beamline scientist of the desired beamline before applying for beamtime.

Several Bunch Mode Operation in 2009A:
   A-mode: 203 bunches
   B-mode: 4-bunch train x 84
   C-mode: 11-bunch train x 29
   D-mode*: 1/7-filling + 5 bunches
   E-mode*: 2/29-filling + 26 bunches

* The filling modes of D and E-modes will be operated in Research Term A (e.g. 2009A, 2010A). In Research Term B (e.g. 2009B, 2010B), D and E-modes will be 1/14-filling + 12 bunches and, 4/58-filling + 53 bunches, respectively. For details, click here.

If you have a preference for a particular operating mode, choose from the pull-down menu on the Basic Information page of the online application form, and explain the difference in efficiency between your first- and second-choice modes in the box provided for "Others."

6. Proposal Submission

Applicants/project leaders are required to submit proposals online through the web-based proposal submission system. First, log in to the system with your user card ID number and password. If you have not obtained your user card ID number, please complete user registration first. Please note that only the project leader can submit proposals: if a project team member needs to submit a proposal in place of the project leader, he or she must log in to the project leader's account. In this case, the project leader is responsible for managing his or her account information. Before starting the application process, project leaders must make sure that all project team members have completed user registration.

User Information Website (UI site) > Login > Proposal Submission > New > Non-Proprietary Research > Budding Researchers Support Proposal

Click here to download a working copy (MS Word) of the online application form.

For step-by-step instructions on how to submit proposals, please see this page.

7. Submission Deadline

Thursday, December 11, 2008, 10:00 am (Japan standard time)

To avoid last minute technical problems and possible network congestion caused by heavy traffic, you are strongly encouraged to complete and submit your application well in advance of the deadline. If you have trouble completing/submitting your application online, please contact the SPring-8 Users Office (see Contact) before the deadline.

Upon successful submission, you will receive a confirmation email with a copy of Agreement (Rules for Users) in PDF format attached to it. If you do not receive the confirmation email, please log in to the system and check if your proposal has been submitted successfully.

Please make sure to print out the Agreement, have it signed by the project leader and the Ph.D. advisor, and send it to the Users Office by post no later than December 18, 2008.

8. Proposal Review

Submitted budding researchers support proposals are subject to review as general proposals at the Proposal Review Committee.

9. Notification of Review Results

Applicants will be notified of the review results in writing early February 2009.

10. Report Submission

In addition to the SPring-8 Experiment Report required to be submitted online within 60 days after the experiment, project leaders are also required to submit a Budding Researchers Support Program Report (paper size: A4, length: about 5 pages); or related research paper or doctoral dissertation to the SPring-8 Users Office.

11. Payment of User Fees

Supported by the Government's treasury, Budding Researchers were exempt from paying the user fees until 2008B; at this point, however, it is uncertain if we will be able to obtain the necessary funding for 2009A.

12. Deadline for Proposals 2009B (next half-year research term)

Deadline for 2009B proposals (second half of fiscal 2009) is scheduled for early June 2009. For 2009B, 303 shifts are expected to be available, while 243 shifts are available for 2009A.

Contact:

SPring-8 Users Office/User Administration Divison, JASRI
1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun
Hyogo 679-5198 Japan
Fax: +81-(0)791-58-0965
email: sp8jasri@spring8.or.jp