The CGM seeks to help users improve their science at the proposal, design, construction, testing, and interpretation stages through personalized guidance and technical support. Individuals interested in using the facilities can get additional information and guidance about the facility capabilities by contacting the Associate Director Dan Wilson.
The CGM's Equipment Site Utilization Form contains valuable information for users of the facilities regarding (1) roles and responsibilities, and (2) training procedures and requirements.
Recharge rates for use of the CGM facilities are summarized separately for the large centrifuge and small centrifuge under NSF and non-NSF sponsored projects.
The CGM recommends new experimentalists complete an on-site apprenticeship to obtain training on a full spectrum of the required research tasks. The new researcher arranges to spend from 4-6 weeks helping a more experienced researcher perform their test; most experiments require two active researchers, so the more experienced researcher gains valuable assistance while the new researcher gains hands-on training. In many cases, an agreement may be reached where the assistance is returned on the new researchers experiment. Apprenticeship-based training has been the most successful method of training new experimentalists in our experience.
New Principal Investigators from academia or industry who are considering using the CGM facilities for the first time may have a wide range of questions and concerns, depending on their familiarity with centrifuge modeling and the stage of their career. The CGM provides confidential consultations regarding proposal ideas, with advice covering aspects of the scientific hypotheses, experimental designs, procedures, technologies, costs, schedule, and proposal writing. The CGM has also established the CGM Mentors for New Users, a volunteer group of experienced CGM users, who supplement the CGM in providing confidential consultations to potential new users regarding proposal ideas.
The CGM seeks to promote an organizational culture of safety and risk awareness by integrating safety and risk awareness into our routine operational practices, meeting or exceeding all campus requirements for safe work environments and safety training of users, and meeting or exceeding campus requirements for cyber-security. All researchers and staff at the CGM must go through safety training and orientation prior to being authorized to perform any work at the facility. This includes reading the Safety Manual, becoming familiar with all applicable policies referenced therein, and reading and signing a laboratory use agreement prior to commencing any work at our site.
