COLLABORATION PROCEDURES

In order to make use of the facilities at the Materials Research Group of iThemba LABS, a researcher must first submit a written project proposal. The proposal must clearly state the aims of the experiment, what techniques are required, how the samples are prepared, previous work completed, the time scale anticipated for work at the MRG and the person who will be responsible for the work (see appendix A for details). The project is then discussed with MRG researchers and facility time is allocated.
Research falls into one of the following three categories. Each has its own financial implications.

1. Researchers are from an academic, non-profit making institute or university without financial support for the project. If the project is accepted, the work is done with full access to data by iThemba LABS. All papers, reports, conference presentations are done on a full co-authorship basis. If the results are used as part of M.Sc. or Ph.D. thesis, the title of the thesis and the name of supervisor(s) should be included in the project description. If the thesis relies substantially on results obtained at iThemba LABS, co-supervision by a scientist from iThemba LABS may be required. No financial cost is incurred.

2. Researchers have other support for the project. If the project is accepted, the work is done with full access to data by iThemba LABS. All papers, reports, conference presentations are done on a full co-authorship basis. Researcher contributes towards running costs of experiment from their grant. This amount is proportional to the scientific benefit. In practice, external collaborators are expected to pay around 25% of the full running cost.

3. Partly confidential or fully confidential (service-rendered) work. It is necessary to enquire about the present cost of using a particular facility. Prices can be negotiated within certain limits. As an example of the costs incurred, one full day of running the Van de Graaff accelerator costs R5 000 (at the end of 2000). Costs of analyses are evaluated on this basis, also taking into account the involvement of the staff of iThemba LABS. Cost of a point analysis using the micro-PIXE technique is R200 (excl. VAT) per point. iThemba LABS is only paid for services rendered, since the principle is that the operating mandates of iThemba LABS are research and training. Services rendered do not fall within this mandate and the MRG has to recover all costs incurred as a result.

Click here to see the Appendix A in Word Document format.