Non-UMN Academic Users

CharFac has a long history of providing analytical services and training to academics spread across the US and beyond. Regarding training, we are similar to (hands-on) user facilities accessible at national labs. However, we do not require or evaluate formal research proposals, beyond discussing the general appropriateness of our instrumentation and methods to your research problem. Additionally, we charge instrument user fees.

Similar to a commercial analytical services provider, you can also send us samples while we will send you data and, if requested, analysis of this data.

The necessary steps to begin working with CharFac are detailed in the section below (beginning at STEP 1). Initial interactions require discussing the general appropriateness of our instrumentation and methods to your research problem and assessing previous experience with similar instrumentation, usually via preliminary email to the pertinent staff scientist(s). We welcome discussions of your research problem, whether it spawns a fruitful (in publication) collaboration or simply spurs analytical services or training for independent use.

Rate Information

CharFac charges separately for the instrument and staff time. As of September 2020, CharFac is partially supported by the NSF NNCI program. “Partial” means a subset of our instrumentation and associated staffing. For these cases, charge rates are identical to those paid by UMN users. For the remainder of our instrumentation suite (unsupported by NNCI), charge rates are above those charged to UMN users (to recoup some of the indirect cost recovery overhead that our university does not receive from your grants). For these instruments, staff time charges are closer to the rates charged to our commercial clients. (Our rate sheet provides details on the NNCI-supported versus unsupported instrumentation.)  View our external academic rate sheet for more information.

Another exception is a type of collaborative research whereby your grants directly subcontract our unit (i.e., federal funding comes directly to UMN), and thus your grants are charged at the same rates as UMN users for both instrument and staff time.

Beyond the charging rubric, we are eager to establish collaborations for the sake of intellectual value.

How do non-UMN academic users start to work with the CharFac?

STEP 1: Fill Out Forms

Note: If you are seeking training for independent usage, please email [email protected] for account set up in our Infinity system. For services or collaboration with CharFac staff, please proceed to the forms below. 

You will need to complete the Non-UMN User Registration Form and the Non-UMN Billing form. The billing form requires details of Purchase Order or e-invoicing info and describes payment options via university check or credit card (most major accepted). Completed documents should be mailed to CharFac Administration ([email protected]). 

There are also situations where UMN policy requires a signed contract agreement before work can begin. This includes the UMN Services Agreement with optional confidentiality terms (NDA). If you plan to use the labs yourself, then the Lab Use Agreement (LUA) will be need to be completed. These are Regents level documents that are approved by the UMN Office of General Counsel (OGC). We are unable to sign other NDAs unless they are reviewed and approved by UMN OGC. Any questions should be directed to CharFac Administration ([email protected]).

Once the above documents are in place, all further communication regarding sample submission, analytical work, or training would take place with the corresponding scientific staff member(s).