FAQs for Jimenez Group

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Revision as of 10:17, 31 August 2011 by Jose (talk | contribs) (→‎What are the group rules for attending conferences?)
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For Grad Students: Which Courses Should I Take?

Computing FAQs

Can I use a Mac or Linux computer?

Some of the software we use is Windows-specific, so a Mac or Linux-PC would not work, sorry. There are also many subtle incompatibilities when trying to share files betwen a Mac and a PC, and finally Macs do not work with some hardware I have encountered in the field (e.g. we found that Macs could not connect to certain network hubs or printers, and those were the only units available at the field site). This choice does not imply that we have positive opinion of the role of Bill Gates or Microsoft in the computer (or the wider) world, it is just a practical necessity. We use exclusively Windows PC computers (mostly XP with a few Vista computers as of June 2009).

Am I expected to do regular backups?

YES!! You have to be disciplined about making a copy of your data and documents at least every week (better if every day), updating what you have changed during the week. We have seen a surprisingly large number of people loose work, sometimes months or even years of work, for not having an up-to-date backup. For this you should use the Viceversa Pro software for which we have a group license, and you should have your own portable hard drive from Apricorn.

Which software do we use?

In the group we use a pretty standardized set of software packages to do the different things we do. This is not to say that these packages are the best, I am sure we could do the same work with a completely different set of programs. However standardizing is very useful to be able to help each other learn and use the software and work effectively. These packages are:

  • CU antivirus
  • Igor Pro (data analysis and graphing)
  • Skype (fast communication) -- you are required to be logged into Skype during working hours
  • Powerpoint (presentations)
  • Excel (simple data analysis)
  • Word (papers)
    • Microsoft Office is downloadable from here (CU campus license)
  • Adobe Acrobat (PDF making)
  • Viceversa Pro (backups)
  • This Wiki (web pages)
  • CU VPN (accessing CU resources remotely)
  • WinSCP (secure FTP program)
  • Google Docs (shared documents on web, some papers)
  • Google Spreadsheets (shared spreadsheets, field study organization)
  • Google Desktop (searching your own computer)
  • Google Reader (keeping track of the literature with RSS feeds)
  • There are other programs which can do the same function (e.g. Latex instead of Word, OpenOffice, Matlab...), however there is a great benefit on using the same set of programs as we can learn from each other and share files easily. Therefore for group work you are expected to use the standard programs above.
  • There is no standard email or web browser for the group, you can use whichever you prefer.


Where can I print?

  • We have a group printer in the lab (Ekeley E150), which can print double sided and color. If you need to print to it from a new computer, you can find the CD in the software repository, or download the drivers from the HP web site.
  • If the printer is low on paper, you can get more from the CIRES copier room on the third floor (it is covered through the CIRES office supplies policy).
  • If the printer complains about low toner, get the toner out and shake it as this often elongates the life of the supplies (try not to get the ink all over yourself as I often do).
  • If shaking the cartridge doesn't work, change the toner, and MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER NEW TONER CARTRIDGE OF THAT COLOR. If not, please let Michael know so that he can order a replacement. The printer will not print if one of the toners is empty. In particular, it will not even print in B&W if one of the color toners is empty. For this reason we need to always keep one spare of each toner, otherwise we can be stuck without a printer for several days.
  • Toner cartridges are very expensive (hundreds of $$) and we change them often, so they are a significant cost for the group. There are restrictions on how to pay for them, so please conserve them by not printing unneeded stuff (e.g. don't print a 100-page report if you really only need to read two pages), and print in B&W if you don't need color.
  • It is ok to print small numbers of pages for personal use, but not very large documents.

How do I print to the CIRES printers in the 2nd floor?

  • The code for the door in the CIRES printer room is the same as for the kitchen. If you need access contact Rob Schubert*
  • IP addresses:
    • CIRES 2: 128.138.136.13
    • CIRES 4: 128.138.136.18
  • adding a printer with vista (coming soon)
  • adding a printer with Windows XP
    • start ->
    • printers and faxes ->
    • add a printer ->
    • local printer attached to this computer ->
    • (bottom of window) create new port ->
    • standard tcp/ip port ->
    • printer IP 128.138.136.xx
    • hp 4600 (you should have the driver already because its the same as the driver of our existing printer). ->
    • keep existing driver ->
    • name it something appropriate ->
    • you don't need to share it


How do I transfer large files securely via CU's file transfer system?

  • Files can be up to 20GB in size
  • Files can be sent to non colorado.edu email addresses
  • Log in with your identikey password here
  • Interface is similar to standard email allowing you to store contacts, create groups, etc.

Hardware & Instruments FAQs

What are the rules for instrument use?

  • J-Group instruments will have a notebook (either on the computer in the case of MAB-AMS, or hardcopy for the Lab-AMS) to keep track of changes, maintenance, use, etc. This is separate from individual experiment or campaign notebooks.
    • 1. You use the AMS, then it's 100% your responsibility to make sure that it's working BEFORE you use it and 100% your responsibility to make sure it's in mint condition AFTER you used it. Any problems you create, you are responsible for fixing.
    • 2. Anytime you CHANGE something on the AMS (swap cables, up the MCP setting, add light scattering, upgrade software, etc.), please write it in the notebook.
    • 3. Anytime you decide to REMOVE something from the AMS, and not leave it in perfect working order, it gets cleared by the instrument 'owner' first by an email, a text, a phone call, whatever. (eg., Delphine for Lab-AMS, Carly for MAB-AMS, Mike for HIAPER, etc.)
    • 4. If anyone breaks the rules and thinks that they can get away with just taking a cable and not writing it down, then they can lose instrument privileges at the discretion of the instrument 'owner'.

Can I borrow a _____ from the group for personal use?

In general the answer is YES, but pls write it on the board which is attached to the door of the lab BEFORE the item leaves the lab. For more expensive or critical items (e.g. GPS) please ask the group first via email, and/or ask Jose.

How do I buy stuff for research?

  • You will need an Acquisition Card (A-Card) in order to be able to buy research supplies. For this see Jennie Bell (CIRES 3rd floor). Every time you buy something on the card, you get an email with the date, purchase item, and amount (Jose and Jennie also get this email). You then need to turn that in with the packing slip or receipt for whatever you bought, so hold on to those. The receipt needs to have the exact same amount as the A-Card email, otherwise Jennie will ask you to get a new receipt with the correct amount. Then write the category for the purchase (normally one of "Lab Supplies," "Field Supplies," or "IT Supplies"), the speed type or account number, sign, and leave on the bin marked "Jennie A-Card" in Jennie's office (or in CIRES mailbox 112 if Jennie's office is closed). You may need to charge different purchases to different accounts, so check with Jose if in doubt.

How can I get office supplies?

  • We can get office supplies (for research use *only*) through CIRES. We don't pay for them directly since they are covered by the research overhead (so we pay for them indirectly anyway). CIRES keeps some of the most common supplies in a small room at the CIRES Message Center (3rd floor). For everything else, look up what you want on the Corporate Express Catalog (there is one in the lab, and another one on the CIRES message center) and email the CIRES Message Center with all the items you want in the following format:
  • One (1) three-ring binder, item B on page 301, p/n AVE-79-783, $19.80
  • One (1) High capacity CD wallet, item A on page 530, p/n FEL-85331, $12.36
  • One (1) Copy holder. item B on page 569, p/n KMW-62060, $10.95
  • Two (2) USB cables, 10', Item I on page 497, p/n CCP-60096, $9.45
  • Note that you can't be reimbursed for office supplies that are not purchased in this way! So do not buy anything at Office Depot etc. or you will have to pay for it out-of-pocket (except for field studies).

Travel FAQs

What do I need to do to travel on CU funds?

  • First, you need to get a travel authorization (TA) from Jennie Bell
  • Second, with the travel authorization number, you can get a plane ticket from Boulder Travel
  • You can reserve hotels directly and pay with them with your personal credit card or the travel card
  • For rental cars, they HAVE TO be purchased with the travel card, declining insurance, and from an authorized vendor (AVIS works)
  • For more detailed in formation, check out CIRES Intranet Travel page (have to log in)

What are the rules for per diem (meals) reimbursement for the group?

  • The total reimbursement is limited by the US government per diem rate for that location. If you spend more, it is on you.
  • The group policy is that you should request reimbursement of the actual meal expenses, not the full per diem. This is done because the per diem rates are often very high, and cannot be supported with the travel funds provided by the funding agencies, especially for long field studies. By claiming the actual expenses, we save travel funds for group members to attend conferences. Receipts are not needed.

Conference and Professional Association FAQs

What are the group rules for attending conferences?

  • Attending conferences with all expenses paid by research funds is a privilege, not a just an automatic right, just for being in the group.
  • A typical attendance level is 1-2 conferences per person per year. It assumes submitting and publishing AT LEAST ONE first-author paper in the year prior to the abstract deadline
  • Most of the group tends to go to (one or several of): the AAAR Annual Conference, the AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco, the AMS Users Meeting.
  • Other conferences such as the Annual Conference of the ASMS, ACS National Meetings, the Gordon Conference on Atmospheric Chemistry, the Annual Meeting of the EGU in the Spring (Vienna typically), etc., are possible if there are suitable sessions.
  • Higher levels of productivity (>1 paper per year) or special needs (e.g. special sessions where the group needs to be represented) may lead to people attending more 1-2 conferences per year
  • Lower productivity (e.g. not paper submission over the last year) may lead to not attending any conference that year. The fact that this rule is often not applied doesn't preclude that it may be in the future.
  • In general the results to be presented need to be fully cooked by the abstract deadline. Exceptions to this rule are on a case-by-case basis
  • External funds (conference grants, certain fellowships) may allow additional conference attendance. Note however that funding agencies (e.g. NSF, NASA, EPA) often explicitly consider fellowships as an extension of the funding that they provide to the group, and they reduce our grants accordingly.
  • Local conferences (in Boulder or Denver) generally don't count in this regard as the expenses are much smaller (transportation is free with RTD, and the group only covers registration).
  • Conferences abroad (especially in Europe) tend to be much more expensive and many grants cannot be used for foreign travel. Therefore attendance of conferences abroad is less frequent, although possible.
  • Final decisions combine all of these factors and will be made by Jose

Which professional associations should I join?

  • We very highly recommend AGU and AAAR. The next most interesting possibilities are ASMS, ACS (especially if you are in chemistry), AWMA, and AAAS (you get the journal Science with the latter). Other possibilities include AMS, ASME, AIChE, etc., but they are less relevant unless you are in those Depts.

Group Service FAQs

If I join the group, am I supposed to do anything else than research?

  • YES. You will be expected to do some service to the group every year, rotating in various roles. This help us all by making the group run smoothly and ensuring that our infrastructure (e.g. instruments) is working. Most of the time this will be very low intensity (< 1 hr / week), although there will be some periods in which more work will be required. Examples include instrument maintenance and literature alerts.

What are the Standards for Lab Safety, Cleanliness, and Organization?

  • By joining the group, you are accepting to maintain high standards of safety, cleanliness, and organization in the lab. We don't care if some other's group lab is less clean or organized, that's their problem. We need to all work on this on a day-to-day basis. E.g. we should not have scattered items on the various counters. Please put things (tools, pens, tapes, cables..) away IMMEDIATELY after you use them. Everything should have a place in the drawers / cabinets. If it does not, choose an empty drawer or cabinet, put the stuff in, and label it appropriately (the labeling materials are in the "office supplies" drawers towards the front of the lab).
  • Be especially careful NOT to lay any cables or tubes on the ground or at a low height, as these are accidents waiting to happen. Route all cables and tubing high off the ground.
  • If you are working on a given location and want to keep some tools nearby, get a transparent plastic bin, label it as yours, and keep everything there.
  • If we let someone else use our lab (don't do this unless you check with Jose first), make sure that they understand the rules for safety and organization in our lab. Please make sure that they take their stuff (and leave ours) after they are done.
  • For cardboard packing boxes, there are only two possible fates:
    • If we decide to keep it (which we should do for expensive stuff that we may return for repair, such as instrumentation), write on them what they are for (e.g. "DMA Column") in big letters, and store them safely on the shelves or on top of the cabinets. If they are very large, check with Michael to bring them to storage in East Campus.
    • If we are not keeping the box, recycle it that same day, when you leave for the evening. The corner near the entrance of the lab is NOT a storage location for boxes.
  • Recyclables (paper at least) in the lab are not picked up very often. If you see the recycling person, please ask him/her to come to the lab that same day, and to continue coming on a regular basis.
  • If anyone (from our group or other groups) borrows a tool or something else from us, please ask them to sign it out on one of the sign-out sheets near either lab door. This is extremely important. Of course do the same if you borrow something from e.g. Maggie's lab. If they don't have a sign-out sheet, put a post-it on their door.
  • Please remember that we have lots of rechargeable batteries. The chargers (one universal, the other Ni-Cd only) are by one of the windows to the atrium. Please be careful not to throw away rechargeable batteries as these are expensive. Also if in the field, or if loaning stuff to people in other labs, please let them know about the rechargeable batteries. You'd be surprised how many of these get thrown away by people who do not pay attention.
  • Food may be stored in the student office refrigerator or inside a closed plastic tub in your desk. We had mice a few years ago, and we need to avoid that in the future. Please no food of any kind anywhere else. Also don't leave food wrappers etc. in the trash in the lab, as they can also attract mice. The microwave in the lab is for drying silica gel and other lab uses, not for food.

Vacation FAQs

How much vacation do we have in the group?

  • The current policy is two weeks a year of vacation for graduate students. See below for extra vacation after intense field studies.
  • Postdocs and research scientists have a separate system in which they accrue vacation days with time. The CIRES human resources people can explain the details of this system.
  • Please put the days you'll be away in the Group Google Calendar.
    • For students only (since CIRES does this for everyone else), pls add your vacation days to the "Vacation_St" tab of the j-Group Schedules spreadsheet, so that we can organize around it.
  • Please let Jose know of your intent to take vacation if the vacation is longer than 3 days, or if it happens less than 6 weeks before a field study or conference that you are attending.

Can I take off for Spring Break?

  • No, unless you choose to take some of your regular vacation during that time. Note that Spring Break is only a break from classes, and it is NOT a vacation period from research.

Can I take vacation BEFORE field studies and conferences?

  • Please do not schedule vacations within a month of an important deadline (two months if possible). Breaking this rule without discussing with Jose first will be penalized. Examples include an upcoming field study, a conference you may be presenting at (AAAR in October and AGU in December are the main ones), a paper deadline, etc. Experience shows that these periods are very intense and your continuous presence is needed.

Can I take vacation AFTER field studies or conferences?

  • Field studies can be very draining, with continuous 12-hr workdays for several weeks and no weekends. Obviously one needs to recover after these, and the periods right after field studies are good to take time off.
  • For the same reason, scheduling your vacations AFTER a deadline (conference, etc.) is generally a very good idea.
  • In recognition of the intensity of some of our field studies, group members which participate in a field study may be able to take extra vacation, corresponding to the number of weekend days that they worked during the study. E.g. if the study was 4 weeks long, including 4 weekends, and there were only 2 off days, then the group member can take an extra 8 - 2 = 6 vacation days. These days should preferably be taken soon after the field study. Some less intense field studies do not qualify for the full policy, and in all cases this should be discussed with Jose first.
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