Chaperoned users

To become a chaperoned user (or just tour the tank):

• Send an email to towtank@mit.edu

Chaperoned users may

• Use/tour the facility (without training) if chaperoned by a member of the Tow Tank Lab (Triantafyllou advisees)

This is best for a one-off experiment. However, since we don't have a lab technician, we are not obligated to help with outside research, and have only a part-time obligation for class labs. Please be patient, and if you come more than 2-3 times, we'll request that you become an unchaperoned user. We always reserve the right to deny chaperoning you if we are otherwise busy with our own research obligations.

Your chaperone will add your experiment time to our Google Calendar.

Unchaperoned users

To become an unchaperoned user:

• You must get permission (email is fine) from Michael Triantafyllou
• You have to schedule lab-specific safety training with the lab EHS rep (currently Jacob Izraelevitz jsi@mit.edu)
• MUST commit to attending twice monthly lab maintenance sessions for the duration of your experiment.
• MUST be a graduate student, post doc, staff, or faculty. Undergrads are not allowed to be unchaperoned, or chaperoned by a guest graduate student.

Unchaperoned users may

• Open the doors (we'll give you the door code)
• Use the labspace next to the big tank at any time
• Oscilloscopes, power supplies, carriage + wavemaker may be used with permission
• Only when scheduled - mount equipment to the carriage, tank walls, or small tank
• Only if a buddy (does not have to be a tow tank member) is with you - enter the water

Unchaperoned users may not

• Use our laser, force meters, cameras (bring everything you need for your own experiment)
• Take anything out of the space
• Leave the lab space in a less orderly state than you found it.
• Leave equipment or experimental setup in the lab (or hallways) outside of your scheduled experiment time.

We will only grant unchaperoned access for the length of your experiment (few months), and then you must renew it.

Unsatisfactory compliance with usage guidelines may result in revocation of tow tank guest privileges. Guests are expected to comply with the Lab-Specific Safety Policy at all times.

Class Labs and Educational Use

If you are a TA for one of the OE/2N classes, you should first

• You have to schedule lab-specific safety training with the lab EHS rep (currently Jacob Izraelevitz jsi@mit.edu)

Class TA's may then

• Open the doors (we'll give you the door code)
• Use the labspace next to the big tank at any time
• Only when scheduled - run the actual class lab. Since there are a lot of people, we will probably send someone to chaperone
• Only if a buddy is with you - enter the water

Scheduling Time

• If you are an Unchaperoned user, you only need to schedule experimental time if you are running experiments in the Tow Tank (e.g. mounting your experimental test setup on the carriage).
• Without scheduling time, you may use the labspace at will (e.g. to prepare your test setup, or run short tests in the tank).
• You MUST give us a week's notice on scheduling and cancelling experiment time, exceptions at our discretion (or discretion of Michael Triantafyllou).

Storing Experiments

• Time limit of 21 days (3 weeks) to storing experiment-related equipment consecutively. Exceptions at our discretion.
• You should use the shelves in the back of the tank office, not anywhere in the labspace or water