EXAFS Data Collection and Analysis: An Introductory Practical Course in X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy

Application Form

Please read through the instructions below before continuing to the form

Application Deadline is May 10th

This application form consists of two parts: contact/background information and a short research proposal. This course is structured around hands-on collection and analysis of data with participants of the course divided into groups of four (4). Each group will be assigned to a beamline for the data collection sessions. We intend that each group comprises researchers with similar research interests. In the form on the next page, choose the "Focus Group" that most closely describes your research interests.

On the second afternoon of data collection, data will be collected from samples brought to the synchrotron by the participants. To assure that these samples are appropriate to the course, we require that each applicant write a short description of the sample that he or she would like to bring. More information is given below regarding this proposal.

The following criteria will be used to select applicants for the course:

1. The course is intended for "new users and young scientists." Preference will be given to graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. Lack of experience in EXAFS will not be penalized.
2. Preference will be given to people who propose samples that are reasonable and of broad interest. An applicant who proposes a proprietary or not-for-disclosure experiment will not be considered. A sample that requires more than nominal consideration by the safety office will not be considered.
3. Early application is strongly encouraged.
4. We cannot accept citizens of Iran, Iraq, Cuba, Sudan, Syria, Libya, or North Korea. Sorry.

If the course is oversubscribed, it will be offered again at a later date. Preference will be given to those whom we could not accept for this workshop.

Proposal guidelines:

1. The proposal should be short -- not more than 150 words, preferably far less.
2. The proposal should identify the material that you wish to measure and give information about the form in which the sample can be prepared. That is, we need to know if the sample is a powder, a solution, a thin film, and so on.
3. The sample should not be very dilute. For example, a film sample must not be measured in monolayers and a solution sample must not be measured in parts-per-million of the absorbing atom.
4. The sample must be safe with minimal handling precautions.
5. The sample must not require special handling or preparation. All experiments will be made at ambient temperature, pressure, and atmosphere, with the exception of biological samples which may be measured at cryogenic temperatures.
6. The proposal should place the sample in a broad context so that the applicant committee can evaluate its scientific interest.
7. The proposal may contain literature references, if needed. There should be no more than two (2). If scientific interest can be established without consultation of literature, the application committee will be happier.