Call for 2012A SPring-8 Research Proposals - Overview -
[Contents]
1. 2012A User Operation
1.1 Beamtime Available to Users in 2012A: 249 shfits (to be finalized)
1.2 Types of Research and Proposals Available for 2012A Beamtime and Submission Deadlines (Japan Time)
• Long-term Proposal: November 25, 2011, 10:00 am
• Non-Proprietary Grant-Aided Proposal: November 24, 2011, 10:00 am
1.3 Beamlines Available for 2012A Beamtime
1.4 Several Bunch Mode Operation in 2012A
1.5 New Program Launched: Industry Creation Proposal
1.6 Budding Researchers Support Proposal Eligibility to Be Expanded
2. Requirements
2.1 User Registration
2.2 Application for Beamtime
2.3 Radiation Worker Registration
2.4 Other
3. Fees (Tax Included)
3.1 Beamtime Fee
3.2 User Fees
4. Contact
1. 2012A User Operation
1.1 Beamtime Available to Users
Beamtime shifts available for 2012A (from April through July 2012) will be 249 shfits.
1.2 Types of Research and Proposals Available for 2012A Beamtime and Submission Deadlines (Japan Time)
[Types of Research]
There are two types of research available at the SPring-8: proprietary and non-proprietary research. Users are exempt from paying the beamtime fee if their research is non-proprietary. For research to be considered non-proprietary, users are required to make their research results available to the public through refereed journals or equivalent. As for proprietary research, the research proposals are reviewed only from the viewpoint of feasibility, safety, sociality, and ethics. In this type of research, users are charged beamtime fee of 480,000 yen/shift based on cost recovery for the SPring-8 beamline operation. In return, users are not required to make their research results publicly available.
If you are a master's or doctoral student and wish to apply for beamtime (submit a proposal as a project leader), Budding Researchers Support Proposal is your only choice; as a project team member, you can participate in any research projects.
[Types of Proposals Available for 2012A Beamtime and Submission Deadlines (Japan Time)]
Click on the link to see the call for proposals.
| - General Proposal: A signed Proprietary Use Agreement for Public Beamline (proprietary research only) must be received by December 15, 2011. |
December 8, 2011, 10:00 am |
| - Industry Creation Proposal: | December 8, 2011, 10:00 am |
| - Budding Researchers Support Proposal: A signed Agreement must be received by December 15, 2011. |
December 8, 2011, 10:00 am |
| - Green/Life Innovation Proposal: | December 8, 2011, 10:00 am |
| - Non-Proprietary Grant-Aided Proposal: A signed SPring-8 Program Fee Payment Agreement/Confirmation Check Sheet and research purpose/plan must be received by December 1, 2011. |
November 24, 2011, 10:00 am |
| - Long-term Proposal: | November 25, 2011, 10:00 am |
Click here for the description of each type of proposal.
1.3 Beamlines Available for 2012A Beamtime
Click here for the list of beamlines available for 2012A beamtime by type of proposal.
To check the specs of the beamlines, click here.
1.4 Several Bunch Mode Operation in 2012A
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."
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 operated in research term A (e.g. 2012A, 2013A). In research term B (e.g. 2012B, 2013B), D and E-modes will be 1/14-filling + 12 bunches and, 4/58-filling + 53 bunches, respectively. For details, click here.
1.5 New Program Launched: Industry Creation Proposal
The program intended for industry-academia-government cooperation in technological development focusing on industrial applications, the industry creation proposal, is to be launched from 2012A. For details, please see the "Call for 2012A Industry Creation Proposals."
Due to the launch of the new program, three Engineering Science Research Beamlines (BL19B2, BL14B2, and BL46XU), which accepted only industrial application proposals (terminated at the end of 2011B), non-proprietary grant-aided proposals and proprietary general proposals, will start accepting non-proprietary general proposals and budding researchers support proposals as well from 2012A. For details, please see the "Call for 2012A General Proposals" or the "Call for 2012A Non-Proprietary Grant-Aided Proposals."
1.6 Budding Researchers Support Proposal Eligibility to Be Expanded
Until 2011B, only doctoral students (at the time of experiment) were eligible to submit budding researchers support proposals; but from 2012A master's students are also eligible. For details, please see the "Call for 2012A Budding Researchers Support Proposals."
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2. Requirements
2.1 User Registration (Not Required of Repeat Users)
To submit an application online, you need to have obtained a user account (user card ID number and password) by registering yourself. Please make sure that not only project leaders/applicants but also all project team members are registered as SPring-8 users. If you are not registered as a SPring-8 user, click here to register.
Note: Registration information is also used for contact. If any of your registration information changes, you must update it from the UI site.
Front Page > Log in to My Page > "Edit My Details" link in the top right hand corner
2.2 Application for Beamtime
Applicants/project leaders are required to submit proposals online from the User Information website (UI site) through the web-based proposal submission system.
UI site: http://user.spring8.or.jp/en/
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 leaders can submit proposals: if a project team member needs to submit a proposal in place of the project leader, s/he 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.
For instructions on how to fill out an application form, click here.
To avoid losing work in the event of a browser crash or unexpected logout, you are strongly encouraged to draft your application offline first using a MS Word template downloadable from here.
For step-by-step instructions on how to submit proposals, please click here.
[Important Notes]
a. Project Leader
A project leader is a person who will assume overall responsibility throughout the experiment at SPring-8.
b. Application Type (New/Continuation)
Choose "Continuation" if you were unable to finish your experiment in the previous research term for compelling reasons, and wish to continue the experiment. When you wish to continue research after using up all the beamtime allocated in the previous research term, please choose "New."
c. Use of Multiple Beamlines
Applicants wishing to use more than one beamline must submit a separate application for each beamline. Submitting multiple applications does not work against applicants if it is deemed appropriate to use more than one beamline. In such case, applicants may use the same wording in the abstract page of the applications.
d. Number of Shifts Required (8 hrs/shift)
Generally, beamtime is allocated in increments of 3 shifts. (Note that you may not be awarded the same amount of beamtime that you requested). If you need assistance in calculating how many shifts are necessary for your research, please contact the Beamline Scientist.
e. List of SPring-8 Publications (Repeat Users Only)
Please be sure to provide the list of publications with brief descriptions in chronological order - most recent first: please list as many as space permits.
2.3 Radiation Worker Registration
The Japanese Law (Ordinance on Prevention of Ionizing Radiation Hazards) requires all SPring-8 users to be registered as SPring-8 radiation workers. To complete your registration, please download a "Radiation Worker Registration Form (Form 5-1)" in fillable PDF format from the UI site, fill out and send it by post at least two weeks before your visit. Once registered, submission of this form is not required for return visits within the same fiscal year (from April 1 to March 31 of the following year).
2.4 Other
- Safety Precaution
For your safety, do not work alone. Please include your project team member in the online proposal application and make sure to work in a group of two or more.
- Cancellation of Beamtime
Please be advised that your scheduled beamtime may be cancelled in emergencies such as equipment failure, natural disaster, pandemic, etc. In such cases, users cannot claim compensation for the lost beamtime.
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3. Fees (Tax Included)
Fees for public beamline use and user fees are summarized in the Table 3. Fees for Public Beamline Use & User Fees.
3.1 Beamtime Fee
[Non-proprietary Research]
Users are exempt from paying the beamtime fee.
Note: From 2012A, for research to be considered non-proprietary, users are required to disseminate their research results through refereed journals or equivalent and register the results with the SPring-8 Publications Database within three years from the end of the half-year research term. For details, please click here.
[Proprietary Research]
Regular Use: 480,000 yen/shift (8 hours)
Time-Designated Use: 720,000 yen (regular fee + 50% premium)/shift (8 hours)
3.2 User Fees
Public beamline users are required to pay the fees to cover the costs of beamline maintenance/operation and consumables actually used (user fees). User fees are composed of a fixed fee charged for wear and tear on the facility and a variable fee charged for liquid He, He gas, and the stockroom reagents, parts, and stationery.
Fixed Fee: 10,300 yen/shift
Variable Fee: calculated based on the amount actually used
Important: We have requested a budget to cover the costs for the budding researchers support proposals and the non-proprietary proposals submitted by foreign users. The details will be finalized after the FY2012 budget is enacted.
Click here for more details.
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4. Contact
SPring-8 Users Office, User Administration Division
Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute
1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5198 JAPAN
Tel : +81-791-58-0961 Fax : +81-791-58-0965
Email: sp8jasri@spring8.or.jp
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