SIF Newsletter - November 23, 2020

The Stable Isotope Facility (SIF) will be closing, effective July 26, 2026.

June 3, 2026
An Update on the Plant Sciences Stable Isotope Facility

Dear Faculty, Staff, Students, and Supporters,
After a lengthy review process and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to sunset the Stable Isotope Facility (SIF) in its current form, effective July 26, 2026.

The Department of Plant Sciences continues to face hard decisions surrounding funding allocation given the campus-wide request to reduce budgets. Over the past several years SIF has been operating with a significant and growing deficit and, despite extensive efforts over the last several months to find a solution that would allow the facility to continue to provide services to the research community, we have not found a model that is financially sustainable.

I want to thank SIF’s staff for their excellent work and dedication these past 25 years, and everyone who has played a role in supporting this facility.

We are committed to doing our best to support the researchers who rely on the facility during this transition, and will be in touch with individual clients about details of specific plans for handling existing orders over the next several weeks.

Sincerely,
Daniel Potter
Professor and Chair, Department of Plant Sciences
University of California, Davis

Original Letter

Returning SIF Samples (Facility closes July 26, 2026)

Dear Valued Client, 

After a lengthy review process and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to sunset the Stable Isotope Facility (SIF) in its current form, effective July 26, 2026.

The Department of Plant Sciences continues to face hard decisions surrounding funding allocation given the campus-wide request to reduce budgets. Over the past several years, SIF has been operating with a significant and growing deficit and, despite extensive efforts over the last several months to find a solution that would allow the facility to continue to provide services to the research community, we have not found a model that is financially sustainable.

We regret to inform you that SIF staff will be unable to process your submitted samples before the facility's closure date. As a result, we would like to offer the option of returning your samples. If you would like your samples returned, please submit the request via return form on the SIF website.   If you do not wish to have the samples returned, please notify us, and we will arrange for their appropriate disposal in accordance with established protocols.

We sincerely appreciate your support of the Stable Isotope Facility and the opportunity to have served your research needs.

Sincerely,
Daniel Potter
Professor and Chair, Department of Plant Sciences
University of California, Davis

SIF Newsletter - November 23, 2020

The SIF is open and providing analytical services, with some limitations through the holidays. Here’s an update about SIF news and important deadlines to help you plan for your upcoming analytical needs.

Limited Mail Delivery through December 2020
The SIF will not receive shipments during the Thanksgiving Holiday, November 26–29.

We also have a narrow window (November 30–December 18) to receive shipments, prior to campus closures for the Winter Break. Because we are experiencing delays with all mail carriers, especially standard post, shipping by FedEx is the current recommendation. Any shipments received during the weekend or holiday will be redelivered on the next open business day.

Thank you to everyone who has followed our sample submission advice. Please continue to email your completed Analysis Order Form and Sample List to [email protected] and wait for an SIF staff member to review and provide additional shipping advice. If you do not receive a reply within 2 business days, please send a reminder email, as we are experiencing a high volume of emails.

Limited Invoice Availability through December
The SIF will not be able to generate invoices November 25–30 due to a campus upgrade to the accounting system. Additionally, we will not be able to generate invoices December 19–January 3 due to the campus Winter Break.

Please email [email protected] your quote requests and funding/invoice deadlines early, because we are receiving a high volume of requests.

New Year! New Look!
The SIF is looking forward to the new year with improvements to our website and accounting systems.

At the end of October, we changed to a new credit card payment portal. SIF invoices will soon include a QR code to link directly to the secure credit card payment portal.

We’re excited to roll out a new website in early January to improve communication, education, and accessibility. A web-based order form will go live soon after that. This is all in preparation for the SIF to move towards a "paywall" system, where payment will be requested before data are released. Payment by credit card, wire transaction receipt, or valid Purchase Order are the fastest ways to release data. Our website will be updated as details are finalized.

Please email us if you have any questions or concerns: [email protected].

As we reflect upon this past year, all of us at the UC Davis Stable Isotope Facility are thankful for you and your continued research and love of science! We wish you happy and healthy holidays!