Help & Support

Emergency or immediate danger: Follow the Breakerspace emergency instructions. Do not use Slack or email.

Contact The Team

• In the lab: Ask a Breakerspace staff member when someone is available.
• Slack: Ask in #breakerspace-help in the Breakerspace workspace.
• Email: dmse-breakerspace@mit.edu for access problems or other support that can wait for a reply.

Instrument Problems

For unfamiliar warnings, unusual behavior or sounds, spills, leaks, damage, or other unsafe conditions:

1. Stop the procedure. Do not repeatedly clear warnings, restart the instrument, bypass protections, or experiment with controls.
2. Leave the instrument stable only if it is safe and you know the procedure. Keep others from using it until the problem has been assessed.
3. Consult the instrument page only when the situation is stable and its troubleshooting instructions describe the same problem. Stop if the safe next step is unclear.
4. Ask staff in the lab. If no one is available, use Slack (#breakerspace-help) or email.
5. Include the instrument, sample, settings, warning or symptoms, when the problem began, and what you have already done.

Report damage, spills, unsafe conditions, injuries, and near misses even if the problem appears resolved. See incident reporting guidance.

Access And Account Problems

Tap Access

If you completed the one-time online training record but cannot tap into the lab, email dmse-breakerspace@mit.edu from your MIT email address. Include your name and the approximate date of your first training.

For lounge-only access, use the Lounge access information.

Instrument Workstation Access

Log in with your own MIT Kerberos account. If you completed training but cannot log in, email dmse-breakerspace@mit.edu from your MIT email address. Include the instrument, when you trained, and the exact error or behavior. Do not send passwords or authentication codes.

Slack And Dropbox Access

Slack: After training, check your MIT email, including spam or junk, for an invitation. If it is missing or expired, email dmse-breakerspace@mit.edu.

Dropbox: Request access from your own MIT Dropbox for Business account:

1. Create or confirm your MIT Dropbox for Business account through the MIT Dropbox landing page.
2. While logged in with that MIT account, visit Dropbox Teams, find “DMSE Breakerspace,” and request to join.
3. Wait for staff to approve your request. If you cannot find the team or your request remains unresolved, email dmse-breakerspace@mit.edu.

Files And Data

On an instrument workstation, look in “My Computer” for Breakerspace Files, usually drive I: (screenshot). Recommended folders:

• Personal work: _USERS → your-folder
• Coursework: courses → subject_folder → your-folder

These files are shared with other workstation users and members of the “DMSE Breakerspace” Dropbox Team. Do not save private or sensitive files here.

To retrieve files through Dropbox, open the “DMSE Breakerspace” Team folder. If files saved to Breakerspace Files do not appear there, email dmse-breakerspace@mit.edu.

You can also transfer files using a thumb drive, external hard drive, or a non-Team Dropbox folder in your own account.

Project And Method Support

For help choosing an instrument, preparing a sample, developing a method, using an unfamiliar accessory, or interpreting results, contact the team directly.

Describe your sample, what you want to learn, the instrument or method you are considering, anything unusual about the material, and what you have already tried.

Ask before bringing an unusual or uncertain sample into the lab. See Samples And Materials for samples that need advance discussion.