Neutron Sciences Directorate

The new user beamtime program (NUBe) is an initiative aimed at growing the neutron scattering user community and increasing the scientific and institutional diversity of our user base. The intent of this program is to support researchers new to neutron scattering as they gain experience in proposal writing, performing experiments, and collecting and analyzing data. Time will be allocated for NUBe proposals on each instrument participating in the General User call for proposals.

Eligibility Requirements:

The Principal Investigator (PI) of the proposal must meet the following criteria for consideration in the NUBe Program:

• Must hold a permanent position at their institution (i.e., any rank of faculty member or staff). Researchers working in industry are also eligible. Undergraduates, graduate students, and post-docs are not eligible, but may participate as collaborators on the proposal.
• Must be a new user, which is defined as never having participated in an onsite experiment as the PI, or having participated in only one onsite experiment as the PI. (Brand-new users may be eligible for the NUBe program for up to two cycles.)
• If awarded time through the NUBe program, the PI commits to participating onsite in the experiment.

A proposal submitted to the NUBe program must meet the following criteria:

• Must pass the instrument feasibility review.
• Must address a research question for which neutrons are beneficial.
• Must have the potential to result in publishable results.

How to Apply:

To apply for beamtime through the NUBe program, submit a General User proposal by the announced deadline. In your submission, indicate “Yes” to the question “Are you applying for beamtime through the New User Beamtime (NUBe) program?” Note that you must meet the requirements above to be considered, and the User Office will vet all applications to verify eligibility.

Next Steps:

All NUBe proposals are reviewed for feasibility, safety, and the potential for high-impact science, following the standard General User proposal review process. Beamtime will be awarded for the highest ranked NUBe proposal on each beam line where eligible NUBe proposals have been submitted. Multiple NUBe proposals may be awarded on some beamlines. All PIs will be notified of their award status by the advertised notification date. PIs awarded through the NUBe program will be contacted by the User Outreach Lead to connect them with a technical contact ahead of their beamtime. PIs should make plans to participate onsite in the experiment when it is scheduled. Post-experiment support will be provided by the instrument scientist to assist with data interpretation, analysis, and manuscript preparation.

PIs who submit but are not awarded beamtime through the NUBe program remain eligible to submit in future cycles. PIs will be contacted by the User Outreach Lead and connected with resources such as proposal writing support, workshop opportunities, and Neutron Ambassador mentorship.