EMAL Policies - Dos and Don’ts:

1. EMAL Staff recognize that the users of EMAL come from very diverse backgrounds. However, to ensure that each member of the EMAL community can understand and appreciate what everyone is saying, all communication, discussions, training sessions and collaborations should be carried out in English. Students should remember that, although speaking their native tongue is often easier, seminars that they will give, conference talks that they will present and their thesis defense will all be expected to be in English.

2. If there is a failure of a piece of equipment, or a piece of equipment responds to your use of it in a manner that is not familiar to you, you should contact an EMAL Staff member for help. It is not advisable to rely solely upon fellow students for assistance, since they are often as inexperienced as yourself.

3. When something goes wrong with one of the instruments you should not only record it in the logbook, but you MUST email both John Mansfield (jfmjfm@umich.edu) AND Kai Sun (kaisun@umich.edu) and tell them the details of the problem.

4. Remember that there are many, many users of EMAL. If you book time, you should use it. Failure to show up for booked time without a reasonable excuse (see the EMAL staff for them to determine this) will result in your account being charged for that time anyway.

5. If you fail to turn up for your time then any qualified user may claim it. You have a half hour grace period. After that any qualified user may take the remaining time slot.

6. If you believe that an instrument that you are using has a failed component, or has failed internally, you should NOT attempt to dismantle and repair the instrument yourself. Dismantling any of the instruments in EMAL could lead to a life threatening situation. EMAL equipment frequently has high voltages inside and X-ray shielding that if removed may expose users to X-rays. Anyone found attempting to repair EMAL instruments without prior permission from EMAL staff will have their access to the lab revoked.

7. Do not attempt to use ANY of the EMAL data acquisition computers for web browsing or e-mail access. We have had huge problems with viruses and computer break-ins.

8. Do not attempt to install ANY of your own software on ANY EMAL computer. The EMAL computers have software installed to help with data acquisition and reduction, they are not to be used for games, movies, mp3s or other non standard software. Anyone found installing software on EMAL computers will have their access to the lab revoked.

9. You can save your data to the data server emalserver and retrieve it via sftp from your laboratory, office or home computer. The username for this connnection is emalftp. The password is the one that you have been told to use for EMAL instruments.

   You can also use the EMAL Macs for backing up your data since they all can connect to emalserver2. They also have CD and DVD burners. In particular, the eMacs have DVD burners on them.

10. Do not change the alignment of any of the EMAL instruments beyond what you have been told by Kai Sun, John Mansfield or have read in the user handbook for the particular instrument that you are using. Failure to follow this rule will mean that your EMAL access will be revoked.

11. You must clean up after yourself, both in the specimen preparation rooms and in the microscope rooms. If you use razor blades, kim wipes, rubber gloves, carbon sticky tabs, etc. you should deposit them in the recycling or trash receptacles provided.

12. If you use any glassware in the specimen preparation room please wash it out, dry it, and return it to the storage cupboard.

13. If a gas cylinder runs out on an instrument you are using either change it yourself, or, if you have not received training on how to change a cylinder then contact Kai Sun, John Mansfield or Ying Qi and they will show you how. Gas cylinders are stored in 418 and 429. We typically stock dry nitrogen and high purity argon.

14. If you use the carbon coater or sputter coater DO NOT CHANGE THE PRESSURE SETTINGS ON THE ARGON GAS CYLINDER. Merely open and close main valve.

15. If you use the last of any item or the last but one of any item or it looks like stock of an item is running low, please tell Kai Sun, John Mansfield or Ying Qi about it so they can order some more.