Synchrotron Packing List

Before you go

Complete registration, especially alien clearance for non-USA citizens (APS, BNL) prior to going to the synchrotron
Gate access clearances for BNL and APS
Safety approval form for BNL and APS including declaration of hazardous materials
Hazardous materials declaration for CHESS (if necessary)
Car reservations
Hotel/dorm reservations (CHESS: Best Western University Inn, 607-272-6100). BNL has dorms. APS has a hotel on-site.
Schedule user training (APS) and do the on-line versions (APS, BNL)

Useful Phone Numbers

User Admin (631) 344-3333 is the new G/U/V center, open 7-5pm M-F
Brookhaven X25 beamline phone: 631-344-5725
Brookhaven X29 beamline phone: 631-344-5629
General NSLS PX beamline details via PXRR
CHESS A1 beamline phone: 607-255-0149
CHESS F1 beamline phone: 607-255-0584
CHESS F2 beamline phone: 607-255-0614

Important Notes

At all synchrotrons we operate a trash-in/trash-out policy where we remove all chemical wastes that we generate. The only things we put in the trash or pour down the sink at synchrotrons are food and scrap paper. Nothing hazardous ever gets trashed at a synchrotron - we bring it back to the lab for disposal . Therefore we always bring a supply of trash bags, conical tubes etc to handle this waste.

To take with you

ID badge for (BNL, APS - CHESS doesn't require one)
GERT training cards (BNL, APS) - no longer necessary at BNL, but double-check on your training.
Foreign nationals at BNL and APS need their passport/visa
Neoprene/Latex gloves & cotton gloves for cryo handling
Kimwipes
Notebook and tray sheets so you can figure out what you're shooting
Pens/markers
Calculator
Lab tape
External hard drive for data backup
A printout of the active SAF is often useful
MSDS sheets for hazardous chemicals (APS, CHESS only)
If you're only taking pre-frozen crystals:
- Dry shippers for crystal storage and transport (with xtals !!)
- Small dewars for crystal handling (X25 and X29 have their own)
- Crystal cryo loops and cryo vials - at least one to establish pin length
- Crystal cryo tools: wand, clamp, tongs etc
- Crystal tools (needles, wire, cat whisker, tweezers etc)
- Cryo canes for dewar
If you're still taking wet trays:
- (Everything I said about pre-frozen crystals plus:)
- Styrofoam Boxes for tray transport
- Ziploc bags for ice/water mix for cold room trays
- Gel/ice packs to stabilise temperatures in the styrofoam boxes
- Trays !!
- Xtal harvesting and stabilising/soaking solutions
- Xtal cryo solutions
- Water, water bottle
- Stock solutions if you need to make up solutions (salts, PEGs, buffer etc)
- Microcentrifuge (eppendorf) tubes
- Pipetmans and 200ul, 10ul tips
- 15ml/50ml tubes
- Racks for tubes
- Waste beaker plus biohazard and garbage bags
- Glass depression plates for soaking
- Glass cover slides for depression plates (25mm Fisher)
- Grease syringe to seal depression plates if soaking for extended periods
- Microscope (we take this to CHESS, sometimes to X25)
- Heavy atom solutions (if necessary - must be on CHESS/BNL SAFs)
- Crystal cryo loops and cryo vials - full set for xtal mounting
- Dustbuster/canned air
Anything else I have forgotten to mention ;)

Computers

Access from BNL seems essentially impossible now and they've made it pointlessly hard (in part due to their own ineptitude) to simply plug in a laptop
Last time I was at APS things were more straightforward, but no warranties.
Access from CHESS is directly into our machines
See separate blurb on backing up data at BNL.

Revised 4/2010 by Phil