Travel and Access Program (TAP)
Guidelines and Information for Applicants
Funding is available under the Travel and Access Program (TAP) for short-duration secondments to core nodes within the Australian Microscopy & Microanalysis Research Facility (AMMRF). For full details of the instrumentation available, researchers are advised to refer to the participating nodes. The aim of this program is to provide access for researchers to state-of-the-art instrumentation and expertise for nanostructural analysis. There are three components to the TAP grants:
- A contribution towards airfare between the home city of the user and the city of the laboratory where the work will be conducted.
- A contribution towards accommodation-costs.
- A contribution to the costs of the instrument access.
The process for application will be rapid. There is no specific deadline and applications can be made at any time. The procedure for applying for funding is:
Applicants complete an online TAP application form. Submission of this form sends your application to the Chair the AMMRF Scientific Committee, Prof. John Drennan.
The application is subjected to a preliminary evaluation based on eligibility, merit and general scientific interest. Usually, the Scientific Committee Chair will pass applications to the relevant Scientific Panels for expert advice. The senior members of these panels are:
- Structural biology: A/Prof. Filip Braet; Prof. Rob Parton;
- Physical sciences: Prof. Paul Munroe; A/Prof. Jin Zou;
- Environmental & earth sciences: Dr Martin Saunders; Prof. Hans Griesser.
The submitted proposal will be evaluated and a decision made as to whether AMMRF TAP funding is awarded.
For successful applications, the Scientific Panel Convener will nominate:
- where, within AMMRF the work will be performed;
- the resources required for the program; and
- the general laboratory and instrument time required for the project;
- the scheduling of this work in terms of the applicants issues and the availability of instrumentation and expertise.
Some liaison may occur during this planning stage between the relevant Node Manager and the successful applicant. The outcomes of these planning arrangements are communicated back to the Scientific Committee Chair, Prof. John Drennan.
The Scientific Committee Chair will recognise the recommendations from the Scientific Panels and communicate the outcome of the deliberations in writing back to the applicant. Notwithstanding any interaction that may have taken place between the Convener of the relevant Scientific Panels and the applicant, this correspondence will be final. This letter-of-offer will:
- Indicate the level of funding towards travel, accommodation, beam time and staff time.
- Detail the protocol for claiming the appropriate cash value of the awards, which are usually repaid against receipts.
- Explain any other obligations and requirements for successful applicants.
You will be required to formally reply to the offer by:
- transmitting acceptance of the award to the Scientific Committee Chair and AMMRF staff as instructed in the offer letter; and
successful applicants will be required to:
- complete a short report on their activities within six months of the experiment, and
- acknowledge the use of the Australian Microscopy & Microanalysis Research Facility in any subsequent publications or presentations.
You are advised to take out independent travel and accident insurance as may be required. The AMMRF assumes no specific liability for losses arising from incidents during any part of your TAP visit.
From time to time, the AMMRF will organise conferences and symposia, and TAP users may be provided special opportunities to present their research. A limited number of part-registrations may be made available for these meetings and details on how to apply for this conference support will be provided by the AMMRF.
Go to online TAP application form.