Call for Proposals

Before coming on site external researchers using ACNS Neutron Beam Instruments will have informed their employer about their working in a nuclear installation and that they may be exposed to ionising radiation. On arrival, they must complete the obligatory safety training and respect all applicable ANSTO regulations.
Each user will be required to sign an agreement accordingly. The proposers will have obtained authorisation by their respective employer to carry out experiments at ANSTO.
Experimental samples and conditions must be as quoted in the proposal. The proposal should provide details on all the samples that the researchers intend to put in the neutron beam (after approval the sample section of the proposal can be updated).
Essentially, each and every sample needs to have a Safety Data Sheet (SDS). Removal of samples after the experiment will depend on possible irradiation during the experiment and the indications on sample treatment given in the proposal.
Researchers using the facility must ensure that they are insured against the risk of illness, surgical expenses and industrial accidents. Researchers with pace-makers must consult ANSTO's medical service before going into the neutron-guide or reactor hall.

Most merit access research using our facilities will likely be collaborative, and we expect co-authorship for one or more of our staff on any resulting publications.
Some merit access research may be "service" work, in the sense that there will be minimal support from ACNS staff (ie instrument set-up and assistance with data reduction).  In general, the proposers should staff the experiment fully and perform all data reduction and analysis themselves. In this case the ACNS staff must thanked in the acknowledgement section of any resultant publications.
For the first year that any given instrument operates in user mode, we would also expect that the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering instrument scientist would be a co-author, even on "service" proposals, in recognition of the their efforts in constructing and commissioning the instrument itself.

The following acknowledgement must be used on all publications:
We acknowledge the support of the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering, ANSTO and the Australian Government through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy, in supporting the neutron research infrastructure used in this work via ACNS proposal XXXXX.