To:
See attendees below
From:
Shawn Banker
Copy:
Louise Griffin
Subject:
UIC Advisory Board Meeting – Winter 2016
Date:
01-12-2016
Attendees:
Shawn Banker
John Tsavalas
Sterling Tomellini
Rick Cote
Kevan Carpenter
Glenn Shwaery
Laurie Westover
Kelley Thomas
Kevin Gardner
On Tuesday, January 12, the UIC Advisory Board met for their second bi-annual meeting. The meeting
was delayed a few months to allow for the UIC user groups to be established and functioning. All
members were in attendance as well as Louise Griffin, Senior Director, Research and Sponsored
Programs Administration. This memo serves as a record of the meeting and follows the agenda that was
presented.
Thank you all for participating.
Follow up from last meeting:
During the past advisory board meeting, there were recommendations made by the committee
members.
User Metrics – The UIC continues to refine their metrics including how we measure usage, number of
users and repeat users to give us a better understanding of our customer base, mainly internal users.
NMR Use Drop-Off – With a declining trend in NMR use over the past several years, the UIC reviewed
historical data to determine what the drivers are for the drop-off in usage hours. The number of users
for FY15 increased by 36% (44 to 60), # of spectra remained relatively flat, and there were more proton
versus carbon analysis done. In addition, the use of MNOVA software has allowed processing of data
externally resulting in less need to tie up the instrument (more efficient).
UIC Acknowledgement – The advisory board recommended that the UIC require users to acknowledge
the center and identify the instrumentation used to support research. The user groups echoed this
recommendation. The UIC is in the process of generating standardized text and will include it on the UIC
website.
Preventative Maintenance – It was recommended at the first advisory board meeting that the UIC
develop and promote PM on campus. The UIC has worked with RCC to adapt the CEMS software to the
beginnings of a PM program and have launched it in the NH VDL and will be doing the same in the UIC
next prior to offering it to others and expanding its use.
Proactive Calibrations – It was recommended that the UIC look at methods to proactively promote our
calibration services through scheduled discounted periods. This is still in development but underway.
Metrics:
In this meeting, a set of high level metrics were presented with the understanding that a more thorough
metric review will be done on an annual basis as in the first meeting. A comparison of FY-2015 to FY2014 and YTD 2016 to YTD 2015 was covered for usage hours, # external customers, internal and
external billing. To summarize, FY 2015 compared to FY 2014 showed marked improvement in billing
(both internal and external) and numbers of external customers with minimal improvements in usage.
YTD 2016 shows a decline in internal and external billing compared to YTD 2015 with a minimal
improvement in usage.
Some impacts on YTD billing included a drop in two significant external customers (one out of business
and one changed it’s focus) as well as high refrigeration repair billing in 2015 which is not in 2016 YTD
numbers.
The new SEM continues to be utilized at 120-150 hours per month as planned in the MRI. The solids
NMR received 72 hours of use in November due to recent collaboration through Gonghu Li. This
instrument has not been used in years other than minimal tests here and there. From the user group
meeting, another user in earth science, Erik Hobbie is planning on using the solids NMR.
User Groups:
The establishment of three user groups (Spectroscopy, Imaging, and Engineering Services) was
discussed. Twenty-four participants across COLSA and CEPS participated (39 agreed to participate). The
groups were presented with a series of metrics (usage, users, billing) current and planned initiatives and
given an opportunity to provide feedback and recommendations (majority of time spent). Feedback and
suggestions were collected and those being addressed are being tracked. Some items discussed and
being tracked are additional training, improved access, opportunities for instrumentation use,
engineering service initiatives, core research facilities, and others.
Initiatives Update:
The implementation of the lab management software (Idea Elan) was discussed and feedback was
received that the UIC should continue to expand its offering to help administer this in other areas, such
as Feixia Chu’s mass spec. The UIC is proceeding with this. There are some issues that are being
resolved around detailed information with invoicing and some reporting improvements.
The launch of the preventative maintenance program was discussed minimally as it had been discussed
as a follow up item from the last meeting.
A plan was outlined for the instrument purchasing improvements which includes the following:
 UIC gaining visibility to instrumentation included in submitted proposals (through SPA)
 UIC gaining visibility to instrumentation purchases through notification of instrument purchases
as the PO is issued
 Adding information to the UIC website that provides recommendations for standardized
instrumentation with data to support the recommendations.
 Working with facilities, EHS and RCC on improving the process for instrumentation installations
using improved process changes.
The UIC described an initiative we have started as part of the purchasing improvement initiative where
research was completed for ultralow freezer recommendations. The recommended make and model is
a highly efficient newer technology being adopted at other institutions and being praised for energy
efficiency, environmentally friendly, and improved serviceability and reliability. The UIC will be meeting
with the laboratory manager in COLSA, the Energy Office and the Sustainability Institute to discuss this.
Connected with this was some brief discussion on the options for freezer alarms besides the currently
used Keltron based systems. A test wireless set up is planned to be evaluated.
Under the subject of new instruments, Shawn shared the MRI limited submission results (UAV Drone,
SPRITE for lightening, and Flows water tank). Shawn also presented the status of the cytometer
evaluation (complete) and the inclusion of a new XPS and confocal microscope in a COBRE proposal
being submitted in January.
Research Core Facilities Structure/Strategy:
Prior to the meeting, Shawn provided a WORD document to all members outlining some background
and initial plans for rolling out a defined core facilities structure at UNH. The group discussed the
document and the following are the key comments/suggestions made.
 Many maintenance contracts exist across campus with no central management.
 Faculty and staff with instrumentation often cannot afford to operate or maintain them past the
initial grant period and they often become non-usable to others. Also, sharing instruments can
be frowned upon when you are responsible to maintain it and no usage fees are collected.
 A comment was made that these labs cannot compete with labs set up for this type of testing
and that the focus needs to be on improving utilization and support for servicing.
 There are four service centers (per Louise) on campus as defined by VPFA. Many other
operations that consider themselves service centers exist but only four are formally identified.
 Start-up packages values are increasing and utilizing shared resources when possible needs to
happen.
 Many instruments do not lend themselves well to being shared or to being in a shared
environment. Having funding to support and maintain instruments across campus is important
and not being done adequately.
 There seems to be a generational shift in faculty being more willing or likely to utilize shared
instrumentation as seen with recent hires. These faculty are looking to have services provided
instead of their own instruments or access to instrumentation.
 Recommendations to proceed with utilizing administrative services by the UIC for assisting with
the management of other instrumentation with strong sharing possibilities was discussed and it
was agreed to proceed starting with Feixia Chu’s mass spec. It was also agreed that we should
be organizing the larger institutional centers together to improve awareness and visibility to our
capabilities.
Next Meeting:
Our next meeting will be scheduled with a month’s notice at least six months from this meeting. The
agenda will be developed and distributed prior to the meeting.