ISIS Neutron and Muon Source
Canadian Access to the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source
The ISIS facility in the UK is welcoming proposals from Canadian researchers for experiments to be conducted up to March 2025. ISIS will cover the travel costs for up to two researchers per experiment, as well as the beam time fees for preferential access. Funding for this programme is provided through the UK International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF).
There are three timeframes for Canadian experiments at ISIS:
Rapid Access
Proposals for beam time for experiments to be run up to March 31, 2024 should be submitted ASAP and preferably by October 18, 2023. These proposals will be fast-tracked by ISIS using their normal rapid access procedures. After October 18, 2023, proposals may be considered if there is an urgent need for them to be run before the end of March 2024 and if there is beam time available.
Spring-summer 2024
Proposals for beamtime for experiments to be run between March and September 2024 must be submitted by October 18, 2023 (same as for the rapid access). These proposals will be reviewed in parallel to ISIS’s normal calls for proposals (Round 24-1).
Fall-winter 2024/2025
Proposals for beam time for experiments to be run between September 2024 and March 2025 must be submitted by Wednesday 17 April 2024 at 17:00 British Summer Time (BST). These proposals will be reviewed in parallel to ISIS’s normal calls for proposals (Round 24-2).
Selection of Proposals
Over the three timeframes above, a total of about 20 experiments will be granted to Canadians through preferential access. In the event of an oversubscription of the Canadian beam time by meritorious proposals, preference will be given to researchers who are:
- From Neutrons Canada’s Member institutions
- New to using neutrons or ISIS
- Early career researchers
Additional Requirements for Round 24-2
- Applicants granted beam time during Round 24-1 through the Canadian Access mechanism are not eligible to apply to the Canadian Access mechanism in Round 24-2. Further, only one application per research group will be considered. These restrictions will ensure a broader distribution of these limited opportunities and encourage more collaborations between Canada and ISIS.
- ISIS may choose to limit the Canadian time granted on its most oversubscribed instruments. Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss potential experiments with their instrument contact at ISIS to determine the best instrument to select in their proposal.
Other Options
Canadian applicants also welcome to apply to the ISIS Direct Access or the ISIS Rapid Access mechanisms. The travel support from ISIS does not apply to proposals awarded through these two mechanisms.
Request Beam Time
For questions about the application process, please contact Philip King at ISIS (philip.king@stfc.ac.uk).