We welcome applications for
instrument time from qualified investigators in the Earth
& Planetary Sciences. Normally, the ion probe group
meets on a bi-weekly basis to assess the instrument
schedule. Be aware that there exists a high demand for
analytical time; most user requests can be accommodated within a
2-3 month window.
We receive a subsidy from NSF's Instrumentation and Facility
program. Hence external NSF-sponsored investigators receive
priority in requesting instrument time on the UCLA ims
1270 and are eligible to perform analysis at a subsidized
rate. The current NSF user fee of $137.13/hour has been maintained
since 2004 and applies to all currently funded NSF projects and
should be used to budget for future NSF proposals. Note that our
unsubsidized hourly rate is currently $305.04/hour.
We strongly encourage the participation of Undergraduate
Students in user's projects. This provides valuable
exposure to analytical equipment to the students, will help to run
the instrument efficiently. As an incentive to investigators, we
will deduct travel expenses and a $100 per diem for one
undergraduate student accompanying the investigators from the user
fee.
Selection criteria for allocation of instrument time include
appropriateness of the project to
existing applications and
capabilities, relevance to anticipated instrument development,
and judgment of what projects/users will derive the greatest
benefit.
Our goal is to provide timely access for as many worthwhile
investigations as possible. Hence, we allow visitors to schedule
analysis blocks of up to three days per visit. Note that we
encourage seed projects to obtain initial data for
grant proposal preparation. Upon consultation with facility staff,
we can schedule a maximum of one day analysis time free of charge
for such seed projects.
A normal working day is considered to consist of twelve
hours. Experienced users of our instrument are routinely permitted
to work extended hours. Note that two or more analysts are
required to keep the instrument operating efficiently over
extended periods of time. We emphasize that it is imperative for
investigators to accompany their students to provide the guidance
necessary to ensure efficient use of the analysis
time.
All ion microprobe users are expected
to prepare, properly
label, and otherwise safeguard their own samples (and
supporting documentation) in an appropriate manner. The
safekeeping and storage of ion microprobe samples is the sole
responsibility of users. To maintain an orderly work environment,
the only samples that are permitted in the ion microprobe
laboratory (2677) are those which will be examined in a given
analysis session. At the end of an analysis session, all samples
(and supporting documentation) must be promptly removed from the
laboratory. If a user is not qualified or otherwise unable to
remove samples from the ims 1270 after analyses have been
completed, a prior arrangement must be made with laboratory
personnel to recover samples prior to departure.
External investigators are invited to utilize our facilities for
sample preparation, including a TESCAN Vega-3 XMU VP (variable
pressure) Scanning
Electron Microscope. There is no usage fee for the
SEM. Visitors also may avail themselves of our in-house data
analysis software (in consultation with Center
staff.)
Because we receive support from NSF to operate our facility, we
require that any data produced from the UCLA ion microprobe must
explicitly recognize NSF support by including the following
sentence in the acknowledgments section of journal
articles:
The ion microprobe facility at UCLA is partly supported by a
grant from the Instrumentation and Facilities Program, Division
of Earth Sciences, National Science Foundation.
While all the personnel of the ion probe group take an active
interest in assisting visitors, we have always sought flexible
arrangements in defining our specific roles in the projects of
external facility users. Specifically, this means that we
have no requirement (explicit or implicit) that Center scientists
become actively involved in scientific interpretations, and
certainly no expectation for co-authorship on routine data
acquisition work. It has been our experience, however, that
many visitors seek our expertise in the interpretative aspects of
their work and many projects have tangibly benefited from
collaborative efforts. We believe that it is not only
useful, but necessary, that the facility be staffed by expert
scientists who are not merely technologists but are also actively
engaged in geochemical and geochronological
research.