Available Beamlines

Determine which ALS beamlines are suitable for your experiment. To do this, you can review the ALS Beamlines Directory, contact the appropriate beamline scientist listed on the Directory, and/or contact the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . More detailed information about user access can be found on the User Policy page.

Types of Proposals

Select one of the three types of proposals below.

General User Proposals (GUPs)

This is the most common type of user access for all beamlines. The process accommodates users who want to establish an ongoing program of work at the ALS, or want to carry out a single experiment requiring more beamtime than is available though the RAPIDD system. Proposals may be submitted every six months and can remain active for up to two years. Proposal deadlines:

January–July operating cycle: Proposals due first Wednesday in September
August–December operating cycle: Proposals due first Wednesday in March

Rapid Access Proposals, Industry, and Director's Discretion (RAPIDD)

This proposal process accommodates users requiring limited but rapid access to ALS beam time. It includes rapid access for both general science and structural biology users, industry proposals, and Director's Discretionary beam time. Proposals may be submitted at any time. Available for structural biology beamlines from September 2012 and for other beamlines from April 2013.

Approved Program (AP) Proposals

An Approved Program 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 Teams

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