Available Beamlines

Users need to know which beamline is suitable for their experiments. For information about available beamlines, review the ALS Beamlines Directory, contact the appropriate beamline scientist listed on the directory, or contact the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Types of Proposals

Qualified scientific researchers have three ways to access the ALS: using a General User Proposal (GUP), as a member of an Approved Program (AP), or via a Participating Research Team (PRT). More detailed information about the different kinds of proposals can be found in the ALS User Policy.

General User Proposals (GUP)
General Users are granted beam time through a peer review proposal process. This is the most common type of user access. Please click on the links below to submit a proposal.

Six-Month Proposal Cycle: All Beamlines

January-June operating cycle - Proposals due first Wednesday in September
July-December operating cycle - Proposals due first Wednesday in March

Two-Month Proposal Cycle:  Structural Biology Beamlines Only
(includes Macromolecular Crystallography and Macromolecular SAXS)

Two-month proposal submission cycles:

Structural biologists with long term programs at the ALS now also have the option of applying through the regular Six-Month Proposal Cycle (see above), which has the advantage of providing beam time for up to two years.

Alternatively, they can submit to the two-month cycle as before. Upcoming dates include:

July - Aug operating cycle - Proposals Due May 15, 2012

Approved Program Proposals
An Approved Program (AP) enables an investigator or a group of investigators to receive an assured percentage of beam time for a period of several years to carry out an extended program of research.

Participating Research Team Proposals
Participating Research Teams (PRTs) are groups of researchers from one or more institutions that construct and operate beamlines and have primary responsibility for experiment endstation equipment.

Director’s Discretionary Beam Time

A very limited amount of beam time is reserved on some beamlines to accommodate urgent requests. Please contact the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to submit a request.