Glossary of User Facilities Acronyms and Abbreviations

Acronym/Abbreviation What it Stands For Description
ARL
Applied Research Laboratory The University center of excellence in naval science and technologies, with preeminence in undersea missions and related areas
FPS Account
Friends of Penn State Account A digitial identity that can be assigned to those who do not have a regular Penn State Access Account; provides access to a limited variety of Penn State Web-based resources and services including RIMS
IBIS
Integrated Business Information System The University's accounting mainframe system
Huck Institutes
Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences The interdisciplinary institute at Penn State that brings together researchers working in the life sciences/biological fields
L&W Bldg.
Land & Water Building The building behind the MRL Building on Hastings Road in which the SIRO staff members are located
MCL
Materials Characterization Laboratory The analytical/characterization user facility in the Materials Research Institute
MRI
Materials Research Institute The interdisciplinary institute at Penn State that brings together researchers working with materials
MSC
Millennium Science Complex The new 275,00 square foot building on Pollock Road which will provide central user facilities and house materials and life sciences faculty and students to foster collaborations
Nanofab
Nanofabrication Laboratory The fabrication user facility in the Materials Research Institute
NNIN
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network The geographically dispersed network of user facilities created by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant with the purpose of enabling rapid advancements in science, engineering, and technology at the nanoscale (the Penn State Nanofab Lab is a member)
PSIEE
Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment The interdisciplinary institute at Penn State that brings together researchers working in energy and environment research
RIMS
Research Instrumentation Management System The web-based system for reserving, tracking, and billing for facilities usage (formally known as Portal; renamed RIMS 7/2010)
SIRO
Strategic Interdisciplinary Research Office An organization within the VPR Division that provides and improves administrative service to the VPR Institutes in the areas of business operations, facilities billing, and pre-award and post-award grant management
VPR
Vice President for Research The Vice President for Research Division at Penn State