Application for Free Seed Sample Analyses at PRIME Lab

Introduction

PRIME Lab awards approximately 10% of sample analyses as a free service to scientists who need pilot data to show feasibility of projects for proposals to NSF and other agencies. To receive consideration for free samples we require a short proposal as outlined below. Note that free sample analyses receive lower priority than funded analyses.

To receive consideration for free chemical sample preparation services and/or AMS analysis a proposal must be completed in the format described below and submitted by email (Microsoft Word files are preferred). Proposals will be ranked by our program advisory committee. Decisions will be made within one month of submission. For declined proposals we usually make suggestions and request that they be resubmitted. We will keep proposals confidential to the extent possible; however, in some cases we may request comments from an outside expert reviewer.

Direct any questions and submit completed proposals to

• Prof. Paul Muzikar
• PRIME Lab
• Purdue University
• 1396 Physics Building
• West Lafayette, IN 47907-1396
• Phone: 765-494-3046
• Email: paul@physics.purdue.edu
• Fax: 765-494-0706

Evaluation Criteria

The most important criteria that will be used to rank proposals are the quality and significance of the science, feasibility, and originality of the proposed research. The quality of prior research based on the listed publications and grants will also be considered. In addition, the criteria listed below will be taken into account.

• A. Chief investigator is on the faculty of a university in the USA.
• B. Research is in the area of the solid earth sciences, fundable by the NSF/EAR division that provides base support to PRIME Lab.
• C. Funding is available for sample collection, any needed auxiliary analyses (such as elemental determination needed for 36Cl exposure dating), and sample shipping costs.
• D. It is anticipated that the results from this project will be published in a refereed journal without the need for further sample measurements.
• E. It is anticipated that a proposal will be submitted for further work in this area using these seed analyses to establish feasibility and that funding for additional AMS analyses at PRIME Lab will be requested.

Proposal guidelines

Please prepare your proposal according to the guidelines given below. Reproduce the numbering and headings given in caps in your proposal, but do not include the text below each heading.

1. PROJECT TITLE

(20 words or less)

2. CHIEF INVESTIGATOR

• Full name:
• Title:
• Phone:
• Fax:
• Email:
• Institution:
• Address:

3. OTHER INVESTIGATORS

Include research students and all collaborators. Give names and institutions.

4. PRIME LAB PARTICIPATION

What form of collaboration with PRIME Lab do you anticipate?

5. SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVES

Clearly state the scientific question(s) to be answered by this research. Write at a level that will be understandable to those outside your specialty. Describe your objectives and state their relationship to present knowledge and to similar investigations in progress elsewhere. Suggested length: 2-3 pages. Include references as appropriate.

6. PROPOSED APPROACH

Describe the proposed methods, including sampling locations, sample types, and dates when samples will be available. Suggested length: 1-2 pages. Include references as appropriate.

7. MOST RELEVANT GRANTS

List up to two grants awarded to the applicants in this general area. Include principal investigators, title, agency, year, and amount of award.

8. OTHER PRIME LAB AWARDS

List previous, pending, and current projects, if any, for which PRIME Lab has measured samples at no cost to you, whether or not they were awarded based on one of these applications. Give project number (if known), title, year and number of samples measured, status of any publications and proposals based on these analyses.

9. EVALUATION CRITERIA

List the criteria (A,B,C,D,E) given above that are satisfied by by this project (cut and paste text here). Add comments if appropriate.

10. OTHER INFORMATION

Provide other information such as the date you expect to submit a proposal based on this data, need for special sample preparation, and willingness to perform part of sample preparation such as rock crushing and physical separation.

11. FUNDING REQUESTED FROM PRIME LAB

PRIME Lab support is limited to chemical sample preparation and AMS analyses. Costs for sample collection, auxiliary analyses, shipping of samples, etc., must be borne by the applicant. For sample rates, use the price structure posted on the PRIME Lab web page. List the full price, not including any NSF discount. If samples will be prepared elsewhere, do not include the chemistry price. If more than one sample type is listed, include subtotals for each category.

• Sample type:
• Nuclide(s) to be measured:
• Number of samples:
• Chemistry price each:
• AMS price each: $350.
• Total price:
• Less funding to be provided:
• Total request from PRIME Lab:



12. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

List education, work experience, and relevant publications for at least one of the investigators. If you prefer, attach or send by mail a copy of your vitae and publications.