Submitting Your Proposal for Review

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• Overview
• Proposal Process
• Industrial Users
• Submit a Proposal

Who should apply?

More than 1,500 Users from diverse fields have taken advantage of the Molecular Foundry’s peerless capabilities to promote the synthesis, characterization and theory of nanoscale materials. It is not necessary to be an expert in nanoscience, or even in the physical sciences—the Foundry is an especially valuable resource for Users pursuing multidisciplinary fields to advance research ranging from biology, medicine and engineering to electronics and photonics. If you believe that your research would benefit from or enhance knowledge at the nanoscale, it is appropriate to submit a proposal.

Get helpful tips on writing your proposal.

A proposal may require the use of a single Foundry facility or several. Multi-facility projects are encouraged and can result in more favorable proposal ratings since they make the best use of the Foundry’s unique, multidisciplinary capabilities and those of other LBL User programs and affiliated research labs. In addition, Rapid Access proposals provide an accelerated pathway to Foundry capabilities apart from our standard biannual proposal call. This mechanism should be used exclusively for time-sensitive research with high potential impact on nanoscience and technology, and direct relevance to the Foundry’s research themes. Rapid Access proposals can be submitted at any time and undergo an accelerated scientific peer review.

Approved, non-proprietary projects receive no-cost access to staff and laboratory facilities (see User Agreement).  Proprietary users (those wishing to maintain confidential data) pay a fixed rate per month for projects requiring average level of access to staff and instrumentation (see Cooperative Research Development Agreement [CRADA]). Notification of proposal acceptance or rejection occurs within 10 weeks of the submission deadline.

Most projects fall into one of four categories:

• Standard Project: [View sample proposal]
  The most common type of project takes place over the course of several months to one year, involves both Foundry staff and equipment and undertakes research in the public domain. These projects are accepted during two submission cycles each year, one beginning in January and the other in June.
• Sample-Only Project: [View sample proposal]
  This involves a request for material regularly synthesized at the Foundry (e.g., routinely generated peptoids or quantum dots), and thus requires no dedicated staff.  Such projects receive accelerated review for feasibility and merit by the Foundry Directorate without PSP evaluation. Sample-only projects are accepted and evaluated continuously throughout the year.
• Instrument-Only Project: [View sample proposal]
  A project requiring limited access to specialized Foundry instrumentation as well as little staff time.  Such projects receive accelerated review for feasibility and merit by the Foundry Directorate without PSP evaluation. Instrument-only projects are accepted and evaluated continuously throughout the year.
• Proprietary Project:
  Like a standard project, but with the intent to withhold research results from publication for up to 5 years. Although the proposed work may be proprietary, sufficient information must be included in the proposal to permit evaluation of its scientific merit. 

Submission and Review Process

There are two standard proposal submission deadlines each year. (Sample-only and instrument-only proposals are accepted and evaluated continuously throughout the year.) Standard proposals can be submitted at any time before each deadline, and are accepted in electronic form only, using the Proposal Submission form. This simple online form provides prospective users with a format in which to present intended scientific research as well as requisite administrative information.

• Assignment of Foundry Lead & Support Facilities:
  One primary Facility (called the “Lead Facility”) is assigned to the proposed project.  This is the same Facility that will house the project should it be approved. However, the Lead Facility and all support Facilities have input into the initial feasibility assessment.
• Feasibility Assessment:
  Each proposal first receives an internal technical and EH&S feasibility assessment. Occasionally this entails discussion of proposed experiments with the Lead Facility staff.
• External Proposal Study Panel Review:
  External proposal review adheres to the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) criteria of scientific merit, technical feasibility, impact on field, and capabilities of investigator(s). The review consists of both weighted questions and written commentary, with the heaviest weighting being assigned to scientific merit.
• User Notification:
  Proposal decisions are reached approximately ten weeks after the submission deadline.