July UAC Canceled... See you in August

Our July UAC meeting has been canceled, join us for our next Users Advisory Committee meeting on August 27th. As always, if you have any issues that you need to discuss with staff between UAC meetings feel free to email us or drop by for an in person discussion. The big change that occurred in July is the start of the 2026-27 fiscal year that brought new NRF rates. If you haven't reviewed the new rates yet, please refer to the email sent to all NRF users and PIs on June 29th by Amelia Dempere, or check our tool pages for the updated rates. Some of our previously no charge tools have had a nominal rate applied for compliance purposes.

 

Upcoming NRF Events

• Game Night Thursday August 20th, 5-8pm, NRF 115 Click to RSVP
• The Great Data Purge - Starts August 24th - see our July 14th weekly update for details (the archive is available on Teams)
• Users Advisory Committee August 27th, Noon - NRF 115 or Zoom
• Labor Day Monday Sep 7th - UF holiday - NRF is AHA only
• Ongoing: Do you feel like you need some practice time on a tool before you start paying to use it? Email us and ask about scheduling a subsidized extended training practice session.
• Ongoing: New publication? Data collected at the NRF? Click to tell us!
• Still writing? Check out our new easy acknowledgement templates.
• Miss something from a previous week? You can find our weekly update archive on our Microsoft teams channel. Click to Join us on Teams!

Safety Side Note

Beware of the cross contamination potential: When you suit up for Acid work, or don gloves for any work, remember these gloves may be contaminated even if you don't see it. Please don't wear your acid PPE beyond the space used for acid work. Don't wander the cleanroom with the chemical gown and gloves on, and you shouldn't be wearing any gloves when walking from lab to lab throughout the building. You should NEVER be using your phone when wearing gloves for working with chemicals. We understand sometimes your gloves are to protect your samples, in which case phone use is still discouraged, but when working with hazardous chemicals using your phone is dangerous. OSHA says: Touching a phone with dirty or contaminated gloves violates rules for effective Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) use and risks spreading dangerous chemicals onto your phone and ultimately your face. Using a phone while working with hazardous materials may also divert your eyes and hands away from the hazardous task you geared up for.

Attention: New NRF Data Policy

Attention all users: many tools in our facility have an excess of user data stored on them. This is a reminder that the NRF is NOT to be used as a data backup location. We will generally allow you to leave your data long enough for it to be transferred and verified as safe in your storage, but not indefinitely. Additionally, all users should note, we do not back up user data and make no guarantees for data left on our drives. Beginning August 24th, 2026 we will begin cleaning our data drives that need additional storage space to be opened up. User data that is more than 30 days old will be deleted, and data less than 30 days old may be moved to a different drive location with a note on where to locate your data. Users should continue to remove their files from NRF drives once the files are confirmed as backed up. When staff needs to make space on a tool (common on the CT scanners) data more than 30 days old will be DELETED to make space for current users. Special note for nano CT users: Please check all the drives at the CT reconstruction machine to ensure you have all your data backed up and removed, as many users have older folders that have already been moved to free up space on the RAID drive.

 

Upcoming NRF Events

• Game Night Thursday July 16th, 5-8pm, NRF 115 Click to RSVP
• Users Advisory Committee July 23rd, Noon - NRF 115 or Zoom
• Labor Day Monday Sep 7th - UF holiday - NRF is AHA only
• Ongoing: Do you feel like you need some practice time on a tool before you start paying to use it? Email us and ask about scheduling a subsidized extended training practice session.
• Ongoing: New publication? Data collected at the NRF? Click to tell us!
• Still writing? Check out our new easy acknowledgement templates.
• Miss something from a previous week? You can find our weekly update archive on our Microsoft teams channel. Click to Join us on Teams!

Safety Side Note

Summer can be a difficult time to keep up on lab safety so here are some reminders. We know it's hot, but those sandals won't protect your feet. Always wear full coverage shoes when working in any NRF lab spaces. Additionally, long pants should be worn when working with any hazardous materials, this includes strong acids, strong bases, and cryogenic fluids. We also know you need to stay hydrated, but please keep your water, coffee, and other beverages out of the labs. Closed, sealed containers may be in your bag, open containers should be left in the hallways or community lounge spaces. No food or drinks should be consumed in the labs. Remember the red bin labs are the only labs with an allowable drink exception at the NRF. No red bin = no drinks in the lab.

 

New Fiscal Year Means New NRF Rates

We want to remind you that the new fiscal year began July 1st, 2026. For most of you this transition is uneventful. Here at the NRF, our usage rates followed the 3% across the board increase as recommended by our Faculty Advisory Committee. You can find these new rates on the NRF equipment pages. In addition to this 3% increase our resources that previously were non-billable have seen a change to include a nominal hourly rate for compliance and reporting purposes. The full rates sheet was emailed to all NRF users and PIs on June 29th, and all rates on the tool pages have been updated accordingly and are summarized on our tool rates page. If you have questions about these changes we encourage you to reach out to us, or attend the upcoming UAC meeting on July 23rd to discuss this in more detail.

Seeking a Game Night Host For July 16th

**Update - Volunteer found, please RSVP and join in the fun**

NRF gamers - It seems the NRF staff will be unavailable to stay after hours to host the full game night event on July 16th. We are seeking a responsible user with AHA to the facility who would be interested in hosting the event. Staff will be available to assist with the setup for the event, and ordering food, but we would ask you to clean up and lock up after the event ends. If you are interested in volunteering so the gamers can play on, please email us to volunteer. Without a volunteer by Monday July 13th this event will be canceled.

 

Upcoming NRF Events

• Game Night Thursday July 16th, 5-8pm, NRF 115 Click to RSVP
• Users Advisory Committee July 23rd, Noon - NRF 115 or Zoom
• Labor Day Monday Sep 7th - UF holiday - NRF is AHA only
• Ongoing: Do you feel like you need some practice time on a tool before you start paying to use it? Email us and ask about scheduling a subsidized extended training practice session.
• Ongoing: New publication? Data collected at the NRF? Click to tell us!
• Still writing? Check out our new easy acknowledgement templates.
• Miss something from a previous week? You can find our weekly update archive on our Microsoft teams channel. Click to Join us on Teams!

Safety Side Note

Have you checked your EH&S training status recently? Hazardous waste management training is required to be valid for ALL users to retain access to the NRF. Don't let your training expire! HF training is required for cleanroom access, this must be completed in person and renewed every 2 years. If you need to renew your training the July sessions are:

• Wednesday, July 15th, 2026, 10:00 - 11:00 am
• Tuesday, July 28th, 2026, 10:00 - 11:00 am

Sign up for these sessions through your UF myTraining portal. Both sessions are offered in person: EH&S building 179 conference room (not at the NRF).

 

UF Holiday July 3rd

Operating Hours for the NRF for all users (who have not applied for and been granted after hours access) are 8am-5pm Mon-Fri, excluding university holidays and closures. Users with this "basic" access are responsible for wrapping up their work and exiting the facility by 5pm. Failure to comply may result in revoking access to the facility. Not sure if you have access? Check your user panel status. Friday, July 3rd is a UF Holiday, meaning the NRF will be open only for users with approved after hours access (AHA). Also as a general hurricane season reminder, weather related closures may be implemented at any time by UF, and when in place the NRF is CLOSED to all users, including faculty and staff. During university closures the door tap points are disabled and doors remain locked. Enjoy your long holiday weekend and find some local festivities to celebrate 250 years of the American democratic experiment:

• Fanfares & Fireworks: July 3 from 6 to 10 pm @ Flavet Field
• The town of Micanopy will host its annual parade on Cholokka Boulevard beginning at 11 a.m. on July 4.
• The city of Alachua hosts "Largest Small-Town Fireworks Display in America" event from 5 to 10 p.m. on July 4 @ Legacy Park

 

Upcoming NRF Events

• UF Holiday - Friday July 3rd - NRF is AHA only
• Game Night Thursday July 16th, 5-8pm, NRF 115 Click to RSVP
• Users Advisory Committee July 23rd, Noon - NRF 115 or Zoom
• Ongoing: Do you feel like you need some practice time on a tool before you start paying to use it? Email us and ask about scheduling a subsidized extended training practice session.
• Ongoing: New publication? Data collected at the NRF? Click to tell us!
• Still writing? Check out our new easy acknowledgement templates.
• Miss something from a previous week? You can find our weekly update archive on our Microsoft teams channel. Click to Join us on Teams!

Safety Side Note

Be sure your shoes cover your entire foot, no bare feet, sandals, or perforated shoes allowed in the NRF lab spaces. Those Crocs may be comfy and breezy in the heat, but they just won't keep your feet safe in the lab.

UAC Meeting This Thursday

Our monthly Users Advisory Committee (UAC) meeting will be held this Thursday at Noon. You can join us in person in the NRF conference room (115), or on Zoom with the link in the events list below. All users are invited and encouraged to attend. We do ask each active research group to have at least one representative attend to update their group with any pertinent details, tool updates, or policy changes. Again this month, following the meeting we will host a ~30 minute book club with snacks. Our book clubs are not a structured book club, we invite everyone to just come share some details about a good book they have read. Have you jumped on board the Dungeon Crawler Carl fad yet? Not sure if you should? (hint, it's being made into a live action series, you should) Need a different summer reading list idea? Join us after the UAC, in person only... there will be snacks.

Upcoming NRF Events

• Users Advisory Committee June 25th, Noon - NRF 115 or Zoom
• NRF Social Book Club follows the UAC (with snacks, in person only)
• UF Holiday - Friday July 3rd - NRF is AHA only
• Game Night Thursday July 16th, 5-8pm, NRF 115 Click to RSVP
• Ongoing: Do you feel like you need some practice time on a tool before you start paying to use it? Email us and ask about scheduling a subsidized extended training practice session.
• Ongoing: New publication? Data collected at the NRF? Click to tell us!
• Still writing? Check out our new easy acknowledgement templates.
• Miss something from a previous week? You can find our weekly update archive on our Microsoft teams channel. Click to Join us on Teams!

Safety Side Note

Remember - The cleanroom is designed to keep particles out. Please help us by ensuring only approved items enter with you. Notebooks, and regular paper are not allowed, but special "cleanroom paper" is allowed. Laptop computers are not allowed (fans carry particles) but fan-less tablets and phones may enter with a prior wipe down. Tables can be borrowed from the UF library if needed. Backpacks need to stay outside the gowning room, we have lockers for your bags. Samples need to enter clean, if you need assistance transporting/storing samples to or from the cleanroom, please contact staff for best practices. Nanoscale Research

Community Mindedness

Just wanted to send everyone friendly reminder that here at the NRF we all need to think of safety first, and community second. Please help us keep the facility safe, and clean while maintaining good community standards. When you complete an experiment (or even just leave for a break), be sure you clean up the work space so other users have room to work. Be sure any samples you are leaving in the facility while you are away are clearly labeled. If samples are not individually labeled use the yellow unattended sample form to identify the samples as yours. Materials left unattended without labels or identification may be disposed of. If you cannot make it to your reservation, PLEASE be sure to visit the user panel and select cancel, or stop on that reservation. This will remove/end your current reservation allowing others in the community to see that the tool is available. When using the CT scanners (or any tool with limited storage space), be sure you collect a copy of your data for your own storage, and once verified that it is backed up be sure to DELETE your data from the CT drives. Old data may be moved or deleted to clear space for current users.

Upcoming NRF Events

• Game Night Thursday June 18th, 5-8pm, NRF 115 Click to RSVP
• UF Holiday - Juneteenth - Friday June 19th - NRF is AHA only
• Users Advisory Committee June 25th, Noon - NRF 115 or Zoom
• NRF Social Book Club follows the UAC (with snacks, in person only)
• UF Holiday - Friday July 3rd - NRF is AHA only
• Ongoing: Do you feel like you need some practice time on a tool before you start paying to use it? Email us and ask about scheduling a subsidized extended training practice session.
• Ongoing: New publication? Data collected at the NRF? Click to tell us!
• Still writing? Check out our new easy acknowledgement templates.
• Miss something from a previous week? You can find our weekly update archive on our Microsoft teams channel. Click to Join us on Teams!

Safety Side Note

The first step in staying safe is arriving prepared:

• Anytime you are working the NRF labs, you need full coverage closed toe shoes.
• Working with hazardous materials? Double check your PPE first.
• Keeping hair tied back will prevent it from blocking your view or getting caught in the machines.

Congrats to our May 2026 User of the Month Nicholas Obeng

Our user of the month is selected from nominees who demonstrate outstanding compliance with all NRF and EH&S safety guidelines while engaging with NRF staff and assisting or contributing to the NRF community. If you have interacted with another user in a way that you feel should get them a nomination for our User of the Month, please let us know!

Upcoming NRF Events

• Game Night Thursday June 18th, 5-8pm, NRF 115 Click to RSVP
• UF Holiday - Juneteenth - Friday June 19th - NRF is AHA only
• Users Advisory Committee June 25th, Noon - NRF 115 or Zoom
• NRF Social Book Club follows the UAC (with snacks, in person only)
• UF Holiday - Friday July 3rd - NRF is AHA only
• Ongoing: Do you feel like you need some practice time on a tool before you start paying to use it? Email us and ask about scheduling a subsidized extended training practice session.
• Ongoing: New publication? Data collected at the NRF? Click to tell us!
• Still writing? Check out our new easy acknowledgement templates.
• Miss something from a previous week? You can find our weekly update archive on our Microsoft teams channel. Click to Join us on Teams!

Safety Side Note

Hydrofluoric Acid Safety Trainings In June:

• Thursday, June 11th, 2026, 10:00 - 11:00 am

• Tuesday, June 30th, 2026, 10:00-11:00 am

Remember, HF training is required to maintain access to the NRF cleanroom. The NRF does not host/control these sessions; the offerings are from EH&S on an as needed basis. If your training is expired or nearing expiration don't delay, sign up today. We cannot grant access without this training!

Webinar Announcement

Do you work with thin films? Do you ever need to run, or have XRD run for you, on these films? You should tune into the upcoming Rigaku webinar. XRD For Thin Films: Choosing the Right Measurement for Structure, Strain and Thickness . This webinar will help you determine what scan type you really need to collect or ask for (yes there is more than one XRD scan type). Don't delay, the webinar is TOMORROW, Wednesday June 3rd, at 2pm Eastern. Added bonus, follow the link to find their June 17th Webinar will be covering SAXS and WAXS, for anyone who is interested in learning the differences and advantages of those specialized techniques. Got powders to scan? Check out the first two videos from their XRD series which covered powder XRD and quantitative analysis. The recordings are available on their webpage.

Upcoming NRF Events

• Game Night Thursday June 18th, 5-8pm, NRF 115 Click to RSVP
• UF Holiday - Juneteenth - Friday June 19th - NRF is AHA only
• Users Advisory Committee June 25th, Noon - NRF 115 or Zoom
• NRF Social Book Club follows the UAC (with snacks, in person only)
• UF Holiday - Friday July 3rd - NRF is AHA only
• Ongoing: Do you feel like you need some practice time on a tool before you start paying to use it? Email us and ask about scheduling a subsidized extended training practice session.
• Ongoing: New publication? Data collected at the NRF? Click to tell us!
• Still writing? Check out our new easy acknowledgement templates.
• Miss something from a previous week? You can find our weekly update archive on our Microsoft teams channel. Click to Join us on Teams!

Safety Side Note

Welcome to Hurricane Season once again Be sure you are connected to alerts and prepared. Now is the time to stock up so you don't scramble after an alert is issued. Keep extra food (that can be prepared without power if necessary), extra water, and a supply of any medications you or your pets may need on hand throughout hurricane season. And remember, when UF closes due to weather conditions, the NRF is also closed.

UAC + NRF Book Club

Join us Thursday at noon in the NRF conference room for the monthly UAC, and this month we will follow up the meeting with a brief Book Club Social. (You could also join the UAC on zoom with the link below, but the book club and snacks are in person only!). This gathering is not your traditional book club as there is NO READING LIST. All we ask is that you come and discuss a book you've read with other interested readers. Bonus points if your book has a science theme (science fiction, science non-fiction, science biography, etc.) but don't worry if it doesn't, the points don't matter. Haven't read a good book recently? Come chat with folks who have and get a few recommendations for your summer reading list. The whole point is to talk to one another. I personally promise to have snacks available for those who are willing to join us in-person for this social experiment.

Conversation starters: What was the book about? Why did you (or didn't you) enjoy it? Where can we get the book (Audible, Libby, UF library, etc)?

 

Upcoming NRF Events

• Users Advisory Committee May 28th, Noon - NRF 115 or Zoom
• Game Night Thursday June 18th, 5-8pm, NRF 115 Click to RSVP
• UF Holiday - Juneteenth - Friday June 19th - NRF is AHA only
• UF Holiday - Friday July 3rd - NRF is AHA only
• Ongoing: Do you feel like you need some practice time on a tool before you start paying to use it? Email us and ask about scheduling a subsidized extended training practice session.
• Ongoing: New publication? Data collected at the NRF? Click to tell us!
• Still writing? Check out our new easy acknowledgement templates.
• Miss something from a previous week? You can find our weekly update archive on our Microsoft teams channel. Click to Join us on Teams!

Safety Side Note

When disposing of hazardous waste, always check the label first. Is your waste compatible with the waste already in the bottle? Is your material already listed on the label? In order to keep everyone safe we need accurate listings of all components added to the waste containers, and in some cases we keep waste containers limited to a single waste stream. Not sure how to properly dispose of your waste? ASK STAFF for assistance.

Volunteers Needed - Contact Alison

The NRF has been asked to speak with a couple middle school classes, and we have learned that the students prefer to hear experiences of and ask questions to the younger more relevant crowd. Since our users have, much more recently than us staff, experienced college applications and college life in general we are desperately begging you to volunteer to help us look hip, cool, and relevant to the middle schoolers. For just 1-2 hours of your day you can help inspire the next generation of scientists. If you have an hour to spare, May 26th 11:30am-12:30pm, and/or May 27th 10am-11am, we would love for you to join us for this classroom zoom visit. To get the zoom link, just email Alison and let her know you'd like to volunteer.

Upcoming NRF Events

• Game Night Thursday May 21st, 5-8pm, NRF 115 Click to RSVP
• UF Holiday - Memorial Day - Monday May 25th - NRF is AHA only
• Users Advisory Committee May 28th, Noon - NRF 115 or Zoom
• UF Holiday - Juneteenth - Friday June 19th - NRF is AHA only
• Ongoing: Do you feel like you need some practice time on a tool before you start paying to use it? Email us and ask about scheduling a subsidized extended training practice session.
• Ongoing: New publication? Data collected at the NRF? Click to tell us!
• Still writing? Check out our new easy acknowledgement templates.
• Miss something from a previous week? You can find our weekly update archive on our Microsoft teams channel. Click to Join us on Teams!

Safety Side Note

Stay safe this summer: NO OPEN TOE SHOES are allowed in any of the NRF lab spaces. Long pants required when working with hazardous materials, strong acids and cryogenic fluids. Don't forget your safety glasses when conditions warrants their use. We recommend sunscreen for times you aren't working in the lab. When traveling or working alone, keep in touch and let people know where you are (like an ebuddy).

Publication Shout Out

Congrats to Ladan, and his research team for their recent publication Reliability of ultra-thin metal films integrated onto embossed and bonded liquid-crystal-polymer (LCP) sheets for neural-interface applications. We love to hear about it when you publish data you collected here at the NRF. In fact, we annually make a report of publications from our users, and you filling out our form saves us the trouble of hunting for your papers and publications. We really appreciate those of you using our template acknowledgement statement to let the world know how awesome our facility is.

Upcoming NRF Events

• Game Night Thursday May 21st, 5-8pm, NRF 115 Click to RSVP
• UF Holiday - Memorial Day - Monday May 25th - NRF is AHA only
• Users Advisory Committee May 28th, Noon - NRF 115 or Zoom
• UF Holiday - Juneteenth - Friday June 19th - NRF is AHA only
• Ongoing: Do you feel like you need some practice time on a tool before you start paying to use it? Email us and ask about scheduling a subsidized extended training practice session.
• Ongoing: New publication? Data collected at the NRF? Click to tell us!
• Still writing? Check out our new easy acknowledgement templates.
• Miss something from a previous week? You can find our weekly update archive on our Microsoft teams channel. Click to Join us on Teams!

Safety Side Note

Reminder to all our AHA users: You must have an e-buddy when working after hours, and both parties need to respond for hourly check-ins. Failure to adhere to this policy can result in suspension or removal of your after hours access. Do you need to refresh yourself on the required information in your e-buddy text/email check-ins? You can review the e-buddy training slides here anytime. If you don't currently have After hour access, you can apply with our AHA request form.

Do You Need to Renew Your HF Training?

This is your random interval reminder: if you are a cleanroom user and your HF training expires you will lose access to the cleanroom until the training is renewed. This training is not offered online meaning you must attend an in person session. If your training is nearing the expiration, we recommend taking the course before you lose access to prevent research delays.

Upcoming NRF Events

• Game Night Thursday May 21st, 5-8pm, NRF 115 Click to RSVP
• UF Holiday - Memorial Day - Monday May 25th - NRF is AHA only
• Users Advisory Committee May 28th, Noon - NRF 115 or Zoom
• UF Holiday - Juneteenth - Friday June 19th - NRF is AHA only
• Ongoing: Do you feel like you need some practice time on a tool before you start paying to use it? Email us and ask about scheduling a subsidized extended training practice session.
• Ongoing: New publication? Data collected at the NRF? Click to tell us!
• Still writing? Check out our new easy acknowledgement templates.
• Miss something from a previous week? You can find our weekly update archive on our Microsoft teams channel. Click to Join us on Teams!

Safety Side Note

Safety glasses are required at all times in the cleanroom, and when working with hazardous materials in any lab space at the NRF. When working in 125 and 239 especially, be aware. Work others are doing in these spaces may warrant all occupants to wear safety glasses. Please notify others in the lab if they too should be wearing their safety glasses during your process.

When in doubt, wear the safety glasses. No one ever regrets being too safe.