Accessing Short Courses
How to Gain Access to the ICAL Facility
ICAL focuses on providing users with cutting-edge instrumentation as well as supportive staff to help train and troubleshoot any issues while working in the lab. It's important to ICAL to help users in their research to help discover new and exciting breakthroughs and solutions. However, before getting started you will need to be equipped with the proper training and follow procedures to access the lab and its equipment.
Getting Started
The first thing before all else is that you must be a user of the facility in order to use the ICAL lab. This applies not only to ICAL, but all facilities that fall under the Montana Nanotechnology Facility umbrella. If you are not a user, you can learn more about becoming and onsite or remote user through the link below.
Click here for more information about becoming a user
Lab and Safety Training
Training in Classes
To ensure that all students are able to conduct research interests they may have, ICAL facility workers make planned visits with educators to train and teach students how to best use the lab and its tools. For industrial or frequent users, training and assistance is also provided through the ICAL facility workers and leaders to assist in making the newest breakthroughs in nanotechnology.
X-ray Safety Training
X-ray safety training is now available through CITI! You will be able to access training such as RAM training for laboratory workers, Ni-63 Electron Capture Device Training, Mossbauer sealed source training, X-ray safety training, and many more. You can apply for a X-ray safety link by clicking the link below:
https://www.montana.edu/orc/training/radiation/index.html
How to apply for an X-ray Safety Training
- You must use the LOG IN THROUGH MY INSTITUTION option and enter your NetID and Password (This will tie your training records to your name and NetID)
- If you have not been in CITI you will have to affiliate yourself with Montana State University by clicking Add Affiliation. Use your first and last name as found in your MSU email first.last@montana.edu when setting up your account in CITI. Answer your profile questions as you see fit and submit.
- Then click View Courses
- Then at the bottom of the page click Add a Course
- This will bring you to a list of questions
- Radiation safety related courses can be accessed by clicking the appropriate checkbox(s) under Question 1
After you complete your training, you will be registered to the ICAL Tool Reservations website so that you may schedule your own time on the instrument. The link to that page can be found at the following;
https://www.montana.edu/cpa/apps/ical_tools/index.php
Instrumentation Reservations
After taking the short courses, you can now start using our instrumentation. Make sure to reserve the specific tool that you need in order to be fully equipped during your time at ICAL.