NEXUS Steering Committee minutes
Monday 27th April, 2015 (teleconference)
Present: SC members: Graham Smith (University of Chester), Lisa Sargeant (EPSRC) John Watts (Surrey), Dave Sykes ( LSA ), Anthony O’Neill (Newcastle nanoLAB). Peter Cumpson (NEXUS), Ian Fletcher (NEXUS), Julie Bohill (NEXUS administrator) present with “observer” status.
1 / WelcomePeter welcomed everyone to the meeting
2
2.1
2.2 / Actions from previous meeting (1 Dec,2014)
Peter confirmed that performance reporting graphics are now represented in a linear fashion. Following previous agreement, performance statistics will now be produced on a quarterly basis.
NEXUS contract end date
Lisa stated that EPSRC were waiting to see the Statement for Need and would inform Peter as soon as dates confirmed. Expected around July-Oct ‘15 / Action: Lisa
3 / Website Re-launch
A considerable amount of team effort has been spent re-vamping the NEXUS website. This was re-launched on the 21st April . Everyone asked to take a look at the new site and forward comments, good or otherwise, through to the team – always looking for feedback and for improving information we provide to our Users. / Action: All
4 / User Access Policy – (refer to handout)
NEXUS have received similar level of projects to last year (190@27/4/15), however number of samples has doubled (316 to 642). This puts considerable pressure on the team and research activities of staff are being compromised.
There are currently no constraints on the number of samples that a customer can send, the only limitation presently in place is 10 days of instrumentation time. Peter proposed introducing workload categorisation as follows :
Category 1 : Peer reviewed access & in receipt of UK funding (limit of 10 days)
Category 2 : Non-peer reviewed access & not in receipt of UK funding (limit 2 days)
Industry –no work currently undertaken in this category. EPSRC steer is that we should increase activity in this category (limited to 5-10% of overall activity and limited to work that only NEXUS have expertise in. Will not be competing on price).
Extensive discussion took place on work categorisation. Key points as follows :
John Watts – agreed with categorisation of work, but felt that it was important to ensure fair and transparent selection criteria that can be easily explained to customers. Consider offering training to frequent users of the service.
Graham Fletcher – queried need for undertaking industrial work if the service is funded by EPSRC. Felt that this put pressure on academic research needs. Peter made clear that this would only be where the industrial need if not met by current capability elsewhere (e.g. Gas Cluster depth profiling).
Anthony O’Neill – identify the ‘high users’ of the service, they may be monopolising the service to the ‘detriment’ of the general community. Support an upper limit on the number of samples being submitted.
Dave Sykes – Ensure that Cat 2 work continues and is supported as this is the academic population of the future. Indicated his support of ensuring the
on-going research development needs of the NEXUS team.
Peter to consider the following
(i) Training PhD students on low level activities to ‘free- up’ time of experienced members to undertake research.
(ii) Making use of an out-of-hours service / Action: Peter
5
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4 / Statement of Need
Lisa confirmed that it is recognised that the needs of the community still exist and that the announcement is expected June/July.
Peter to receive draft version of survey results. Need to identify those who doesn’t use the NEXUS service & consult with them e.g, why not?
Circulate information to the Steering Group.
Role of UKSAF – obtain support from UKSAF to reinforce NEXUS service. Recognised that the purchase of new equipment (gas cluster ion work to be undertaken) will bring new customers to the facility.
Peter to consider giving a talk at next UKSAF meeting (Jan 2016). This will be an opportunity to identify future growth areas for the NEXUS service.
Peter to email the discussion document to the following for review comments :
- UKSAF, Royal Society of Chemistry, NEXUS Steering group, Institute of Physics, Materials & Characterisation group., RFC.
Will also email Users and undertake website review. / Action: Peter
Action: Peter
Action: Peter
6 / Project Registration Data
Details of figures have already been discussed under section 4.
7. / Instrumentation Update
Have experienced regular problems with instrument unavailability since summer 2014. Repairs have taken place on K-Alpha & Theta Probe. Helium Ion microscope has produced good graphene results.
8 / AOB
John asked whether NEXUS had experienced problems with data management, open access for PHD’s, managing data off-site.
Peter stated that NEXUS had not experienced any problems with this issue, but it may be as a result of the size of data being shared with Users.
Next meeting expected October 2015. Date to be confirmed.
NEXUS Steering Committee
6 May, 2015