Proposal Opportunities
Information follows about the status of Active and Planned Calls and Details About Proposal Opportunities. A variety of different proposal options are available to facilitate users’ access to the facility based on their needs and to ensure utilization of EMSL capabilities to address cutting-edge science questions. Users interested in submitting a proposal are encouraged to learn more about the Proposal Process.
Additional Information
Active and Planned Calls for Proposals
2009 Call for User Proposals
EMSL's Call for 2009 Proposals is now closed, and proposal are undergoing reviews. Proposal authors will be notified of the results by early September. Approved proposals will be effective October 1, 2009.
Details About Proposal Opportunities
To maximize the impact of EMSL research, the following proposal types are available for users. Preference is given to user proposals submitted in response to periodic calls for proposals, although user proposals requesting one year of access or less may be submitted at any time during the year. Although a limited amount of access may be available for proprietary research, most research conducted at EMSL is nonproprietary, with results disseminated to the scientific community through publications in the open literature or conference presentations and papers. Authors of nonproprietary proposals may retain rights to intellectual property (IP) resulting from the use of EMSL, but the government is granted a nonexclusive license to use the IP. All proposals are submitted through EMSL's User Portal and undergo management and peer reviews.
Types of Proposals
Periodic Calls
EMSL solicits user proposals in response to periodically published calls for proposals. This enables us to collectively review, prioritize, and accept user proposals that are competing for access to limited resources. EMS'’s calls for proposals emphasize research opportunities that will advance EMSL's Science Themes or will utilize EMSL’s unique research tools for novel applications (see below). In addition, details from previous calls for proposals provide insight about the how the research focus at EMSL has evolved over time.
Science Theme Users are particularly encouraged to submit proposals that fit into major areas of current and growing user activity associated with scientific challenges that address topics of societal importance. Science Theme proposals are valid for one year and may be extended twice for a total period of three years. Some EMSL resources may be principally dedicated to Science Theme proposals.
Computationally Intensive Research in Environmental Science Computationally Intensive Research (CIR) proposals focus on one or more of the topics highlighted in the published call as well as on research of an algorithmic nature that might have a broad application to environmental research. CIRs are expected to utilize EMSL’s computing resources predominantly for large-scale parallel calculations that scale efficiently with both the number of processors and size of problem. Project proposals are expected to comprise multiple investigators working collaboratively as a team. A collaborative team approach provides an excellent mechanism to engage the expertise of researchers from a variety of institutions to be focused on the basic and applied research projects needed to solve the environmental problems of interest to DOE and the nation. Computer allocations for CIRs are valid for one year and may be extended twice for a total access of three years, with the computer allocation appropriate for the scope of research to be performed.
Capabilities-Based Capabilities-based proposals are sought when capabilities are not fully subscribed or when new capabilities are brought online. Although the details of access can vary according to the Call, capability-based proposals are typically awarded access for one year with one extension possible, for a total access of two years.
General
Use of existing EMSL resources typically falls into the general use category. General use proposals may be submitted to EMSL at any time throughout the year, and they are evaluated by peer review before research can begin. Proposals may be from individuals or groups who need access to EMSL to carry out their research, using existing equipment at EMSL. The scope of a general use proposal can vary from a single experiment proposal to full project proposal (valid for multiple visits and substantial access to a range of equipment). Individual and group proposals, including collaborative proposals with EMSL staff, are encouraged.
Rapid Access
In limited cases, users may need access to EMSL capabilities where rapid turnaround of data is required for a specific deadline (e.g., response to requested data for finalizing thesis work or paper publication, or preliminary data needed for proposal preparation). If approved, a rapid access proposal will be valid for no more than one month of EMSL use. To be considered under this category, proposal descriptions must clearly justify why rapid access is needed and provide the working deadline. All proposals will undergo peer review, although work can be started as soon as management and safety approvals are completed and subject to instrument and resource availability.
Proprietary Research
EMSL facilities can be used for proprietary research. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) requires that such work pay full-cost recovery of the facilities used, which includes, but is not limited to, labor, equipment usage, consumables, materials, and EMSL staff travel. User proposals containing proprietary information will be reviewed under a restricted access process to maintain confidentiality.
Partner
Partner proposals are submitted by individuals or groups who wish to partner with EMSL staff to enhance an existing capability or develop and build unique new capabilities that enhance EMSL’s user program. Capability development efforts that support environmental molecular sciences and which utilize collaborative multidisciplinary teams, pooled or leveraged resources, unique operating environments, or other resources which may be beyond those available to individual researchers or teams are encouraged. Partner proposals are intended to leverage expertise, capability, and resources that maximize impact for EMSL, the partner, and future users. In return for co-development, EMSL partner users may have priority access to the new capability for a negotiated and specified period (subject to EMSL Advisory Committees review and approval). Proposals may be in response to a specific call or submitted at any time. The award and timing of EMSL Partner Projects are contingent upon EMSL strategic needs and the availability of EMSL resources.
A two-page Letter of Intent (LOI) is used to initiate a dialog with EMSL’s Chief Technology Officer on suitability, interest, and strategic need for the capability. A Partner user is encouraged to work with appropriate EMSL Capability Stewards or other technical contacts in preparing the Letter of Intent, which should include initial discussion of need, approach, resources, partner contributions, impact, and proposed team.
A Letter of Intent may be submitted by a partner user at any time to emsl@pnl.gov, and will be reviewed by a panel consisting of the Chief Technology Officer, the Chief Science Officer, the Associate Director for Scientific Resources, and the Lead Scientists. Review criteria will include strategic alignment, user/scientific impact and need, and resource and time requirements. Interaction, deliberation, and refinement of concepts with the Committee and/or EMSL staff should be expected during the LOI review process. Upon review and approval, the Chief Technology Officer or delegate will contact the partner user and request a full proposal, along with specific needs, considerations, or contacts to be addressed.
Full Partner Proposals (6-page maximum) are to be submitted to the EMSL User Portal, and will detail specific needs, considerations, or contacts to be addressed. Partner users are encouraged to work with EMSL staff in refining and developing a full proposal that meets identified EMSL capability needs and is consistent with EMSL strategy, science themes, and technology thrusts.
Full proposals will be reviewed by (selected) members of EMSL’s advisory committees (Scientific Advisory Committee, User Advisory Committee) and an EMSL panel consisting of the Chief Technology Officer, the Chief Science Officer, the Associate Director for Scientific Resources, selected Lead Scientists, and other ad-hoc members as may be required for technical evaluation. Review criteria will include strategic alignment, user/scientific impact and need, and resource and time requirements. Additionally, all meritorious proposals will be reviewed by the EMSL Chief Operations Officer as part of the approval process. The Chief Technology Officer will be responsible for communicating final approval decisions to the proposal authors.
Resource Owner
Proposal authors requesting to use capabilities that they co-own may select Resource Owner as the proposal type. EMSL will verify that this request is valid based on the current agreement with EMSL. Proposals that are submitted as Resource Owner are subject to internal management and safety reviews, and usage will be tracked. Proposals accepted as Resource Owner are valid for one year and can be extended twice for a total open period of three years.
