Survey on research in the pandemic

The KFS wants to represent the interests of synchrotron radiation users also in the pandemic. The measures to contain the coronavirus are necessary, but they also limit research. We would like to get an impression of your problems so that we can look for solutions together with the facilities and funding bodies.

The red boxes mark questions that need to be answered.

1. To which group of people do you count yourself?

Professors or Institute Directors with permanent position
Junior research group leaders without a permanent position, e.g. junior professor, Emmy Noether fellow, post-doctoral researcher, etc.
Research group leaders or mid-level staff with permanent position
Postdocs
PhD students
Students - Master/Bachelor

2. On a scale of 1 to 10, how much does the corona pandemic limit your research? (1 = not at all, 10= strongly)

3. If you lead a working group, how strong do you estimate the restrictions for your employees when using synchrotron radiation? Please skip this question if you do not lead a working group - thank you! (1 = not at all, 10 = strongly)?

Mid-level staff with permanent position

Postdocs

PhD students

Students (master/bachelor)

4. What aspects of your research and projects are limited by the pandemic? This is in respect to all your research - not only with synchrotron radiation (1 = not at all, 10 = strongly)

Preparation of samples

Measuring possibilites

Travel in Germany

Travel outside Germany

Networking

Evaluation of results

Presentation of results

Publication

Please answer the following four questions only if they apply to you:

Third-party funding

Have you had or will you have problems reaching the milestones and goals of externally funded projects as planned? (1 = all goals achieved, 5 = 50% of goals achieved, 10 = no goal achieved)

How much delay did or do your projects have on average in months?

On average, how many months do you typically have to extend employment contracts?

Other limitations throughout your research

5. Which aspects of your research with synchrotron radiation are limited by the pandemic? (1 = not at all, 10 = strongly)

Production of samples for measurement at the synchrotron (incl. FEL)

Measurement possibilities at the synchrotron

Measurement possibilities at the FEL (Only to be answered if it applies to you)

Research at the Home Institute

Has the formal effort increased?

Other limitations in research with synchrotron radiation

6. Which measures would currently help you with measurements at the synchrotron? (1 = not at all, 10 = strongly)

Postponement of allocated beamtime

Splitting allocated beamtimes into simple experiments to be carried out now and difficult experiments to be carried out later

More options for mail-in/remote measurements

More staff support for on-site experiments

Access to on-site laboratories

Other measures

7. Do you also see opportunities through the changed working conditions? If so, in which areas? (1 = not at all, 10 = strongly)

Expansion of mail-in/remote measurement options

More time for evaluation

Support during remote data analysis

Video conferences instead of travel

Virtual user meetings

Home-based work

Other chances

8. Which problems have not been addressed in the previous questions and what are you particularly concerned about?

Please also encourage colleagues and staff to participate in this survey! The KFS will evaluate the results of the anonymous survey and discuss them with representatives of synchrotron radiation sources, funding organisations and others. Please feel free to contact us at kfsadmin@sni-portal.de.