The UD NMR Facility offers a 3-level training program to meet the wide range of training needs and NMR spectrometer usage of our users. This training program includes hands-on sessions with the NMR spectrometers, as well as formal courses offered at the University of Delaware. To get started, create an iLab account.

Level 1: NMR Lab Safety and Autosampler Usage

Level 1 training is open to undergraduate and graduate students, post-docs, faculty and visiting scientists at the University of Delaware. This training must be completed before any access to the NMR facility is authorized. Level 1 training is targeted to users who wish to submit samples to the spectrometers equipped with autosamplers (Neo400, Neo400 Star Campus, AVIII600, Neo600). In this 2 hour training session, you will learn NMR lab safety, design and operation of superconducting magnets, sample handing, experiment selection, job submission, data processing etc. See this page for details on how to request user training.

Level 2: Manual Operation of Solution NMR Spectrometers

Level 2 training must be completed to obtain access to the manual AVIII400 NMR spectrometer. As part of Level 2 training, graduate students at the University of Delaware must take CHEM603: Practical NMR Spectroscopy, taught by Dr. Bai and offered every Fall and Spring semester. Post-docs who wish to access the AVIII400 must have completed a comparable course during their PhD. Senior undergraduates may enroll in CHEM603 with the recommendation of their PI. In addition to lectures, Level 2 training includes hands on experiments at the AVIII 400 MHz. Students will learn elements of NMR spectroscopic techniques, practical operation of NMR spectrometers, and special analysis techniques.

Level 3: Manual Operation of Solid State NMR Spectrometers

Users who wish to work independently on the solid state NMR spectrometers must complete all requirements of Levels 1 and 2, as well as either CHEM667: NMR Spectroscopy: Theory and Applications or CHEM679: Biomolecular NMR spectroscopy. Users will then work with Dr. Quinn at a solid-state NMR spectrometer learning common applications in solid state NMR including probe hardware and setup, magic angle spinning, cross polarization, double cross polarization and/or other experiments tailored to the user’s experimental needs. Trainees must pass an operation test administered by Dr. Quinn before official user status is granted. Any users are welcome to submit samples for solid state NMR analysis by Dr. Quinn without undergoing training.