Access the NCFL

Complete 3 steps to initiate work at the NCFL. 

1. Obtain a PO
   
2. Submit a Work Order
3. Create a FOM account

Step 1. Obtain a PO

You will need an active Purchase Order (PO) to initiate work at the NCFL. Contact your departmental financial office to obtain a PO. If you have further questions please contact the NCFL Business Manager, Susette Sowers. 

PO Tips:

1.  A new PO is required for each calendar month.
2. Consult the current NCFL Instrument Rates (see tab below) to estimate the value of your PO.
3. Estimate a higher PO than needed. You will only be charged for work performed.
4. Plan ahead. It takes 12 hours for an approved PO to become active.        

Step 2. Submit a Work Order

Once you have a valid PO, complete the NCFL Work Request Form. Contact the NCFL Business Manager, Susette Sowers or an NCFL Laboratory Manager if you have questions about the form.  

Step 3. Create an NCFL FOM Account

The NCFL uses the Facility Online Manager (FOM) system to manage instruments and billing. Users must have an active FOM account to schedule time on NCFL instruments. 

Use the FOM Quick Start Guide to register, add an active PO to FOM, and start using the NCFL for analysis and training. For projects requiring multiple POs, add a month and year to the “research description name” (e.g., 2022-09 Bee Study) to avoid confusion.

A complete FOM user manual is available online. 

For infrequent analysis, it is more time and cost effective to have samples analyzed by an NCFL Laboratory Manager. Contact a manager directly to discuss your specific needs and to schedule sample analysis.

For more frequent analysis of larger numbers of samples, you may prefer to learn to operate NCFL instruments independently.

Prior to using an instrument on your own, you must train with an NCFL Laboratory Manager. Training sessions will cover instrument operation and safety procedures as well as techniques for obtaining useful information. Each instrument requires a different number of training sessions dependent on your data requirements. 

Training sessions are scheduled by appointment and include charges for instrument and staff time, so be sure to refer to current NCFL Instrument Rates. The total time required to demonstrate competence on an instrument is determined by the supervising NCFL Laboratory Manager.

Instructions for signing up for training are available in the FOM Quick Start Guide.

Training is best suited for users who anticipate spending many hours mastering a particular analytical technique. In many cases it is more time and cost effective to have samples analyzed by an NCFL Laboratory Manager.

Last updated: 05/2024

The NCFL is staffed weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Researchers can request access to specific instruments and labs through an NCFL Laboratory Manager. After-hours access is available upon approval by an NCFL Laboratory Manager. 

NCFL users have different data access requirements. For example, some data may require secure transfer protocols. It is each user’s responsibility to discuss their specific data access requirements with the NCFL Laboratory Manager supervising their work. For general use applications, the NCFL can offer data sharing through Filezilla FTP.

When publishing results obtained using the NCFL, we kindly ask you to please acknowledge the facility using the statement below. It is also appropriate to consider inclusion of individual staff members either as co-authors or within your acknowledgment statement, dependent, of course, on their contributions to the work: 

This work used shared facilities at the Nanoscale Characterization and Fabrication Laboratory, which is funded and managed by Virginia Tech’s Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science. Additional support is provided by the Virginia Tech National Center for Earth and Environmental Nanotechnology Infrastructure (NanoEarth), a member of the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI), supported by NSF (ECCS 1542100 and ECCS 2025151).

NCFL offers limited 50/50 cost matching support to Virginia Tech personnel for:

• Instructional purposes and demonstrations.

• To collect preliminary data for external proposals.

• To initiate transdisciplinary collaborations.

To request Mini-Grant support, take the following steps:  

• Discuss your project with an NCFL Laboratory Manager prior to requesting support. 

• Complete the NCFL Mini-Grant Application. 
  

Unused Mini-Grant funds expire at the end of each fiscal year.

The NCFL Faculty Fellows Program offers faculty funding ($22,500/award) with the goals of:

• Advancing nano-enabled research at Virginia Tech
• Enhancing NCFL capabilities
• Increasing the likelihood of securing external funding. 

Awardees must be a faculty member, use NCFL tools, collaborate with core facility team members, and plan to accomplish the goals listed above. 

The NCFL Faculty Fellows award may be used in combination with NCFL Mini Grant funding, and such usage is highly encouraged. 

The review process will evaluate proposals based on the following criteria:

• Research Plan
• Likelihood of advancing nano-enabled research at Virginia Tech, enhancing NCFL capabilities, and securing external funding
• Use of NCFL instruments and engagement with NCFL core team members
• Qualifications of faculty applicant
• Appropriateness of budget

Applications are due November 1, 2024. Anticipated support begins December 25, 2024, for the spring semester, and May 10, 2025, for summer salary. One to two awards are anticipated for 2024-2025, and winners will be notified by December 6, 2024. Please note that there is a limit of one proposal submission per faculty member.

Apply here.

Finding Us

https://goo.gl/maps/QVQTgQ9tgpEMg3By6

From campus: Drive up Tech Center Drive toward the CRC. Turn right on Kraft Drive. Turn left at the third entry, where you will see signs for ICTAS and ILSB. The building is located at the back of the parking lot.

If coming from I-81:

• Take Exit 118-B from I-81 and follow signs for Virginia Tech, Blacksburg and U.S. 460 West.
• Continue on US 460 West Bypass following signs to Blacksburg (these will be the left lanes).
• Exit 5A – US 460 West Bypass at signs for US 460 Business East and West to Blacksburg.
• Exit 5A heading EAST on US 460 Business.
• Turn left at the end of the exit ramp onto Industrial Park Dr.
• Go straight at the first stop light.
• At the second stop light turn right onto Ramble Rd.
• Turn left onto Kraft Drive.
• Turn right at the ICTAS and ISLB sign and drive to the back of the parking lot.

Blacksburg Transit operates an express route between the CRC and the university’s central campus. The bus runs every 15 minutes between the hours of 7:15 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (30 minute frequency from 6:30 p.m. until end of service at 9:45 p.m.). For more information regarding BT routes and schedules, visit www.btransit.org or call (540) 961-1185.

Virginia Tech security department sponsors a nighttime safety escort service known as Safe Ride. Safe Ride operates from dusk until dawn and provides transportation or a walking escort to all persons.

For an escort, call (540) 231-SAFE (7233).

Your Location: 1991 Kraft Dr, CRC bldg 23 ICTAS
N37 12.141 W080 24.397 or 37.20235 -80.406617

Mailing Address:
Nanoscale Characterization and Fabrication Laboratory
Virginia Tech, Mail Stop 0905
1991 Kraft Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24061