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Evaluation Mode
Research Contents > SUN > Users General Guide > Application for Beamtime > Evaluation Mode
  
     
Access Mode Beamtime Availability
How to prepare a proposal Evaluation Mode

     

General
  
SOLEIL operates a peer review evaluation for the allocation of beamtime for non-proprietary research.
   
Proposals are submitted to one (or eventually several) Peer Review Committee(s) which are in charge of ranking them on the basis of their merit, and recommanding approval to the SOLEIL management (with a given number of shifts) or rejection.
   
    
Scientific fields

   
Review panels will cover the following area:

1. Diluted matter
2. Electronic and magnetic property of matter – Surfaces and Interfaces
3. Matter and material properties: Structure, Organisation, Characterisation, Elaboration
4. Chemistry and Physico-chemistry – in situ reactivity – Soft matter
5. Biology – Health
6. Ancient materials – Environment and Earth

For Peer Review Committees' details, click here.

Other panels may be created when needed.
  
One beamline may concern several panels.
 
(Last update 2011-07-27)   

 

Members
 
Scientific peer review panel members serve for a fixed period of 2 years. A member of the SOLEIL Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) will serve on each of the review panels.
  
Each review panel comprises a sufficiently large number of members to cover the main sub-areas of its discipline. In most cases, about 9-11 members per committee will be appointed, including the SAC member.
   
    
Operation of the review panels
  
Face to face discussion will take place twice a year, in mid-November and mid-April.
  
After each panel meeting, the chairman will produce a report for the SOLEIL management and for the SAC.
  
This report will:
  • comment on the quality and scope of the proposals received,
  • point out any areas of concern,
  • recommend any potential improvements to either the beamlines covered by the panel or the allocation process.
     
Ranking of Proposals
   
The review panel members rank the proposals according to scientific excellence after having been evaluated or informed of their technical feasibility.
     
* They will assign each proposal a grade and rank them within each grade:
     
Grade 9 à 7 : proposals which must be accepted because of scientific merit or ambitious instrumental development;
       
Grade 6 à 4 : proposals which should be accepted if there is sufficient beamtime;
      
Grade 3 à 1 : proposals which should not be accepted due to having neither not sufficient scientific merit nor technical justification.
       
* They will adjust the amount of requested beamtime if necessary.
      
* They will recommend the allocation of beamtime on the most appropriate beamline.
   
Further details will be made available soon.

   
      
Technical and Safety Assessment
  
Prior to peer review committee meetings, the principal beamline scientist(s) will assess the beamline appropriateness and the technical feasibility of each proposal.
 
If the proposal is not technically feasible, and after a contact with the main proposer to define possible ameliorations which could make it feasible, he/she will recommend that no beamtime be allocated.
  
At the same time, the Safety Group will assess the safety implications of each proposal, with the help of the beamline staff.
   
If possible, they will suggest necessary improvements which could make the proposal acceptable. If it is not possible, the proposal will be withdrawn.
  
This information will be provided to peer review committees.
  
    
Evaluation results
   
After each Review Committee meeting, main proposers will be informed of the decisions taken by SOLEIL Board of Directors.
    
When beamtime is allocated, the main proposer will receive notification by email from the SOLEIL Users Office, informing him/her of the number of allocated shifts.
  
If beamtime has not been allocated, a brief report will be sent justifying  the decision.
      
   

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