All CNS facility Users must follow all applicable Harvard University policies. For more information, please see Harvard’s website: www.harvard.edu.

Only Users who are fully enrolled, active users who are qualified by CNS technical staff are allowed to use CNS equipment.

Users must be enrolled in the CNS/NNIN User Program in order to use any facilities or tools at the Center for Nanoscale Systems.

CNS facility users are required to acknowledge the Center for Nanoscale Systems and the NSF’s National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN) in any publications or presentations that result from work performed by or with the assistance of CNS/NNIN facilities or staff. A reprint of the publication must be delivered to the CNS Administrative Office, LISE 306. See the Contact Section of the CNS website for the full mailing address.  Please see the following URL for recommended language for CNS and NNIN publication acknowledgement.

Any work done, or services provided, by CNS and its employees are on a reasonable effort basis. Users accept ultimate responsibility for the progress and results of their project.

Users must operate CNS facilities and tools in a safe and professional manner, consistent with the operating instructions.

Harvard Users must take Harvard’s Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) Basic Lab Safety Training in order to use any CNS facilities. Please see the EH&S website for information regarding training schedules.

CNS reserves the right to prohibit further use of facilities, if CNS, in its sole discretion, believes that a User is not properly trained or is working in an unsafe manner.

Nanofabrication Facility Users must follow the Cleanroom User Protocol (CUP) regarding dress code, garment use/reuse/storage, handling materials and tools, transporting and handling chemicals, emergency response and evacuation, equipment sharing, maintenance, and housekeeping. More info on this can be found at the CNS Nanofabrication Facility web page.

Training and qualification for all CNS facilities and tools must be conducted by CNS staff. Training and qualification are both required in order to gain User Status for a particular facility or tool.

Training consists solely of the observation of facility/tool operation. Qualification is the verification of training by CNS staff watching the User operate the facility or tool.

Upon the completion of training and qualification, User Status will be granted for that particular facility or tool.

Please note that certain facilities/tools require that initial sessions by those with User Status either be operator assisted or limited to normal business hours. The CNS staff member in charge of each tool has the final authority over granting User Status and when any initial session requirements are met.

If the facility or tool is on the CNS Online Scheduling Tool, an account will be created/updated to allow for advance time reservation by the User with User Status (except in facilities that require initial assistance. In those instances, the CNS staff member must reserve the time).

An advance reservation is required for facilities or tools that are listed on the CNS Scheduling Tool.

Users are prohibited from scheduling time online for another user, even if they are members of the same research group or have the same affiliation.

Only those with User Status are allowed to schedule and use equipment.

An official qualification is required even if the person is a qualified user of a similar tool at another facility or institution.

All Users are prohibited from giving out their Scheduling Tool User Name and/or Password for use by other users, or from giving other users access to their HUID or generic facilities access card for any card reader access controlled CNS facilities. CNS reserves the right to deny future access to any User in the event of a willful breach of this policy.

Retraining and/or qualification may be required if a User has not used a specific facility for a long period of time. It is the decision of CNS staff to determine the need for retraining and qualification.

Users are required to properly and accurately enter all information requested in facility/tool logbooks.

Users are required to PRINT their full names (first and last) in all CNS logbooks. Please no first names only or nicknames etc.

Users are required to enter in all CNS logbooks the time they entered and left the facility and any other information requested by the logbook.

Users are required to note any problems or irregularities with the facility or tool’s operation during their session in the logbook. This is to allow CNS staff to respond quickly to problems and keep issues from getting worse and causing more down time.

Absolutely no food or drink should be brought into a CNS facility or consumed while using any CNS tool.

Certain Imaging and Analysis facilities are located in building or rooms that require card reader access. Many CNS facilities and tools are located card reader or iris scanner access controlled space and require that a form be filled out in order to gain card or iris reader access. For Harvard Users, their HUID is used as access card, non-Harvard Users must contact the CNS Administrative Office in order to obtain a swipe card.

Please see the Forms area of the User Section of the website for the appropriate access forms.

There are certain facilities have special safety considerations (laser, x-ray etc.) that have special training and /or certification requirements.  Please take a look at the Safety section of the CNS website and/or the specific tool (in the Facilities section) for information on any special requirements for specific tools.

CNS in conjunction with Harvard Environmental Health & Safety maintains a MSDS database.  If you wish to bring any chemicals into CNS lab space that is not listed on the MSDS database (http://www.cns.fas.harvard.edu/safety/msds.php) must complete a Chemical Request Form.  Please see the Forms section of the CNS web site to obtain this form (http://www.cns.fas.harvard.edu/users/forms.php)

CNS reserves the right to amend, abridge, alter, delete, add, or change any CNS policies as deemed necessary by CNS with or without any written notification.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding Harvard or CNS policy, please feel free to address any questions to the CNS Administrative Office at info@cns.fas.harvard.edu.