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*The next Call for User Proposals is tentatively expected to open in February—March 2006. Please check this web site for the announcement. The summer 2005 Call for Proposals is shown below.*

If you would like to receive the next Call for Proposals, please send an e-mail to Sandy Lowe (lowes1@ornl.gov) requesting that your name and e-mail address be added to the CNMS mailing list.

Call for User Proposals: Nanoscience Research
Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
 
The Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is now soliciting user research proposals requesting access to facilities and staff expertise for User-Initiated Nanoscience Research in the new CNMS building that will open on October 1, 2005. This nanoscience research program provides users with access to a broad range of CNMS capabilities for synthesis, characterization, theory/modeling/simulation, and design in order to understand nanoscale phenomena and develop functional nanomaterials systems. Access is provided at no cost to users for research that is in the public domain and intended for publication in the open literature. Users may conduct research in seven related CNMS Scientific Themes selected to address Grand Challenges to scientific understanding as well as nanotechnology opportunities and needs.
 
The seven CNMS Scientific Themes are:
Macromolecular Complex Systems
  Polymers and bio-inspired macromolecular materials; polymer-nanomaterial composites.
Functional Nanomaterials
  Nano-tubes, -wires, -dots, and functional composites; complex oxide films and heterostructures grown with atomic-layer control for enhanced and new combinations of properties.
Nanoscale Magnetism and Quantum Transport
  Effects of reduced and experimentally variable dimensionality; magnetism and transport in nanostructured materials.
Catalysis and Nano-Building Blocks
  Synthesis and characterization of highly selective catalysts and supports; use of catalysts to control synthesis and direct nanoscale organization.
Theory/Modeling/Simulation: Nanomaterials Theory Institute (NTI)
  Integrated support for experimental research; development of theoretical and computational nanoscience methods to address Grand Challenges of multi-scale modeling, nanomaterials design, and virtual synthesis; development and dissemination of community-based methods/codes for user-initiated research (NanoFocULs program).
Nanofabrication: Nanofabrication Research Laboratory (NRL)
  Clean room, nanoscale patterning, nanomaterials processing; development of controlled synthesis and directed assembly methods; functional integration of soft and hard materials; nano-bio research (nanophase biomaterials systems).
Nanoscale Imaging, Characterization and Manipulation
  Unique and state-of-the-art instruments and methods to manipulate and measure properties of nanostructures with simultaneous imaging. Includes neutron and x-ray scattering; UHV and ambient scanning probes; electron microscopy and spectroscopy.
 
Descriptions of the seven CNMS Scientific Themes are located here. A detailed list of specific FY2006 Research Capabilities that the CNMS will offer to users is available and is duplicated in checklist form in the downloadable CNMS User Proposal Form.
 
Prospective users are encouraged to submit proposals that utilize and exploit synergies involving research capabilities in two or more Scientific Themes. In particular, proposers of experimental nanoscience research are encouraged to request theory/modeling/simulation collaborations, if appropriate. The CNMS can coordinate with a user’s separate application for experimental time at the HFIR Center for Neutron Scattering, and the CNMS offers organic and polymer synthesis capabilities to prepare deuterated small molecules, monomers, and polymers for neutron scattering studies. Access to electron microscopy/spectroscopy in ORNL’s SHaRE User Facility is possible through an Appendix in the CNMS User Proposal Form.
 
Principal Investigators and/or prospective users are invited and strongly encouraged to participate in the CNMS’ Inaugural User Meeting to be held May 23-25, 2005 at the Pollard Technology Conference Center in Oak Ridge, TN. This Inaugural User Meeting features visionary talks by leaders in nanoscience and emerging nanotechnology, and Breakout Sessions for all seven CNMS Scientific Themes. The Breakout Sessions provide extensive opportunities for direct discussions of proposed research with CNMS staff members, to assist prospective users in planning their research proposals. The complete Agenda together with registration and hotel accommodations information is available at the Inaugural User Meeting web site.
 
The deadline for submission of user research proposals is July 22, 2005. Please review the Guidelines for Submission of a CNMS User Research Proposal (below) and the Instructions for Submitting a Proposal. Requests for renewal of a current CNMS “jump start” user research project also may be submitted by following the Instructions for Requesting Renewal of Existing CNMS Project. Approved projects will be granted access to CNMS facilities during the period October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2006.
 
The CNMS also encourages the nanoscience community to participate in and/or propose topics for the CNMS’ Computational Nanoscience Focused User Laboratories (NanoFocULs), which are intended to make available and rapidly develop powerful community-based software and methods for user-initiated research needs.
 
The CNMS is a highly collaborative national user research facility dedicated to the synthesis, characterization, theory/modeling/simulation, and design of nanoscale materials, and their integration into functional systems. The CNMS cannot provide direct research funding to users.
 

Guidelines for Submission of User-Initiated Nanoscience Research Proposals

  1. Content: Each user proposal must describe very clearly and specifically which part of the work is to be done using CNMS facilities: What CNMS tools and expertise will be needed to carry out which steps and on what timeline? Each user proposal must also clearly define the expected outcomes from the CNMS component: What are the targets or milestones that the CNMS contribution must meet in order for the overall research project to succeed? Please keep in mind that you are proposing a specific user project, not justifying your entire program.
  2. Priority must be given to proposals that lie within current CNMS Capabilities. Proposals that overlap more than one Scientific Theme are encouraged.
  3. Truly exceptional proposals in other areas, utilizing unique ORNL nanoscience capabilities or expertise, will be considered as permitted by program resources.
  4. Proposals will be reviewed by selected members of the CNMS Proposal Review Committee (according to subject area) using evaluation criteria proposed by the IUPAP in its recommendations on the operation of user facilities. Please see the DOE NSRC Evaluation Criteria and Process and Evaluation Criteria for CNMS Research Proposals.
  5. Prospective users are advised to contact one of the staff members listed for each specified research area, prior to proposal submission, in order to discuss the suitability of that CNMS capability for the proposed research. General questions about the proposal process can be directed to the CNMS User Coordinator, Dr. Tony Haynes.
 
Go to Instructions for Submitting a Proposal

 


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