LS-CAT

Life Sciences Collaborative Access Team

9700 S. Cass Ave, Bldg 436A
Argonne, IL 60439
Main Office:    630-252-0222
21-ID-D:    630-343-6851 21-ID-E:    630-343-6852
21-ID-F:    630-343-6853 21-ID-G:    630-343-6854

Associate LS-CAT Members

LS-CAT is pleased to offer Associate LS-CAT Membership to qualified organizations. This program allows participants to

  • Obtain the right of first refusal for particular dates on the schedule
  • Procure the beamtime you need
  • Schedule beamtime in 1 hour, 8 hour, or 1 day blocks
  • Be treated as a CAT member for purposes of calculating the APS cost recovery charges
FAQ's
  1. Q: Does becoming an Associate CAT Member require a large capital investment?
    A: No. Associate CAT Membership requires a minimum commitment but not a large capital investment.

  2. Q: Why would LS-CAT Members allow this?
    A: LS-CAT was founded on the idea that a small number of collaborators sharing a state-of-art facility would be able to perform experiments in new ways and/or greatly expand their research programs. This, however, does not happen overnight: while the LS-CAT members as a whole ramp up their beamtime needs there will be opportunities for others to fully utilize the resources.

  3. Q: Can I use beamtime obtained under the LS-CAT Associate CAT Member Program for proprietary work?
    A: Yes. Proprietary work is always welcome at LS-CAT

  4. Q: Why can't I just use the APS General User Program to collect data at LS-CAT?
    A: You can! LS-CAT is one of the largest providers of beamtime to the APS General User Program. If you find that the APS General User Program meets your needs we completely support your efforts to use it. Note that LS-CAT welcomes academic, educational, and industrial use through the APS GU Program.

  5. Q: So why would my organization join LS-CAT as an associate member when we can use LS-CAT for free under the general user program?
    A: There are a few reasons:
    • Member's proprietary charges are based on actual usage, not the time scheduled
    • Proprietary work under the Associate CAT Member Program resulting in APS cost recovery charges is not subject to peer review
    • Scheduling commitments can be made much further in advance
    • Associate CAT Members may schedule blocks of time as short as 1 hour

  6. Q: Can Associate CAT Members use LS-CAT for non-proprietary work, academic research, or educational use?
    A: Yes. As part of our mission LS-CAT we encourage this use and are developing outreach programs that utilize this avenue of access.

  7. Q: May LS-CAT Associate CAT Members use LS-CAT through the APS General User Program?
    A: No. You have to decide which you are, an LS-CAT Associate CAT Member or a General User. You may use other facilities at the APS as a general user, though.

More Information:
Please contact Spencer Anderson by email to learn more about the LS-CAT Associate CAT Member Program.