New external users

Read the criteria for external non-academic projects.
Read the criteria for external academic or government projects.

Whether from industry, government, or other academic institutions, external researchers must follow these initial steps in the order listed to become users of MIT.nano.

 

1A. Inquire about using MIT.nano.

OPTIONAL: If you have questions, submit an inquiry form. Let us know basic information about who you are, what you hope to work on at MIT.nano, and what equipment/capabilities you need so that our technical staff can guide you.

If you have the information you need to proceed, move on to the next step.

1B. Inquire about a user agreement.

Determine whether or not your institution has an external user agreement with MIT.nano.  If not, please contact MIT.nano’s Financial and Contract Administrator, Victoria Zurman, to start the process. Please note only one agreement is needed per institution.  Please do not proceed beyond step 1B until an external user agreement has been executed.

1C. Submit access request form and upload your PO.

External users must provide a valid purchase order (PO) from their company/institution, approved by their supervisor or other entity authorized to provide approval. Have this document ready before filling out the Access Request form.
 
An MIT ID number and Kerberos account are required to register as an MIT.nano user. If you do not already have an MIT Kerberos identity, submitting this form will start the process for obtaining one from central MIT systems. What's the difference between an MIT ID, Kerberos, and MUMMS account?

>>>Use the access request form to upload your purchase order and begin the access process.

After obtaining an MIT ID/Kerberos login and receiving confirmation that your purchase order has been processed, continue with the following steps. If you need PO assistance, contact Luda Leoparde-Adams (email).

2. Register with the MIT.NANO & MTL MUMMS user account/billing system.

New users must create an account and register with the MIT.nano & MTL User Machine Management System (MUMMS), a web-based application that manages user accounts and permissions. During account set-up, you will specify which facilities/laboratories ("services") you wish to access. Select only those that apply. Services will be activated after completing steps 3 and 4 below.

See a step-by-step guide on registering in MUMMS.

3. Add additional MIT.nano services to your MUMMS account.

Within MUMMS, you can add or remove services at any time under Manage Your Services. Only select those you know you are going to use. Different services have different safety prerequisites; adding more than you need will add additional, unnecessary training requirements. See a step-by-step guide for adding a service.

4. Join the EHS training group and complete all prerequisite training courses.

Each MIT.nano service has an associated training group where training requirements have been identified based on the hazards present in each space.

On your Manage Your Services page in MUMMS, select "Show Details" under prerequisites for each service. There you will find a direct link to the appropriate Atlas training group, which you must join in order to access the associated training prerequisites. After joining the appropriate training group(s), new required training courses will appear in your My Training Needs list.

See a step-by-step guide on activating your services.

Note that prerequisite training for MIT.nano services will only appear in your My Training Needs list if you have joined a training group, as described above.

Learn more about training and safety sessions.

5. Familiarize yourself with CORAL / NEMO.

Once you have completed all required trainings and been qualified on the tool, you can begin reserving time on MIT.nano-managed facilities and equipment. 

On June 10, 2024, Characterization.nano and Immersion Lab facilities moved to the NEMO lab management system for equipment reservations and user operation. Transition to NEMO for Fab.nano will follow in 2025. (Preview the NEMO quick start guide here, or log in to NEMO for the most updated quick reference guide.)

Common Object Representation for Advanced Laboratories, or CORAL, is a platform to reserve machine time and engage the machines. You can also use CORAL to check tool status, report problems, and communicate results. Access CORAL via the web or download & install the remote version.

Learn more about CORAL.

6. Follow instructions for specific functional areas.

Accessing Fab.nano (cleanroom processing, 5th floor prototyping)

Once you are a trained user of the facility and have reviewed the user policies, you can build a process for what you would like to accomplish. During this time, MIT.nano tool specialists will guide you in choosing the best tools for your specific project. Once your process has been approved by the Processing Technology Committee (PTC), you will be trained on the necessary equipment and can begin working in the cleanroom. Submit your process for review here.

Accessing Characterization.nano (CryoEM, imaging and analyses, cleanroom metrology)

If you intend to use the Characterization.nano toolsets for research purposes, you need to take two steps to get started:

If you are interested in non-research use, such as offering a class, workshop, or bootcamp submit an inquiry form with a description of your concept. Our staff will work with you to customize a facility and instrument use plan.

Accessing the Immersion Lab

If you intend to use the Immersion Lab for research, academic, or exploratory projects, you will need to submit a description of your proposed project and register as an MIT.nano user:

  • For first-time use, submit the quickstart form with a description of your project and the tools in which you are interested. If needed, we can then help guide you through the general MIT.nano user registration.
  • Based on your project needs and goals, Immersion Lab staff will work with you to customize a training and facility use plan. If you intend to collect human subject research data that will be used in a publication, you will need submit your approved IRB protocol.

If you are interested in non-research use for a group, such as teaching a class using VR, or holding a multimedia performance, submit an inquiry form with a description of your concept. Immersion Lab staff will work with you to customize a facility & tool use plan.

Now you're ready to start using MIT.nano facilities!

Use this site to find basic information about specific spaces and equipment, including specs and applications. Individual tool pages also specify location, training schedules, and other information. Visit the Fab.nano, Characterization.nano, and Immersion Lab sections to review capabilities and learn more about policies and procedures for access.

Questions? Email us.