Summary
The NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) continues to be well run. It consistently and reliably provides a high flux of neutrons to an evolving suite of high-quality instruments. There is a substantial and well-satisfied external user community. The in-house science and technology is robust. The new organizational structure—the NCNR director now reports directly to the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)—demonstrates NIST recognition of the strength of the facility and allows a more efficient means for the facility to interact synergistically with the broad NIST complex. Ground will soon be broken for a substantial expansion of the guide hall, complemented by the construction of a new set of instruments. With this expansion and by continuing to serve the broad neutron scattering community, the NCNR is likely to remain an important neutron source and knowledge base for years to come.
As the NCNR proceeds with the expansion of the guide hall, it should continue to
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Develop consortia with industrial, academic, and government laboratories to leverage new instrument development and construction.
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Interface with the user community for identification and selection of new instruments.
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Recruit instrument scientists and engineers to construct, operate, and maintain new instruments.
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Work to maintain the necessary scientific openness of the facility within the constraints of increasing security demands.
The NCNR should also
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Aggressively pursue its small grants program to enhance sample environment capabilities and to improve data analysis programs.
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Continue to add instruments to the user suite, including thermal neutron spectrometers.
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Aggressively pursue a replacement for the National Institutes of Health/National Center for Research Resources (NIH/NCRR) grant in biological materials.
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Develop a center for soft matter and biological physics to complement NCNR capabilities.