25-26 May 2009

25-26 May 2009

U.S. ITER Communications Office

Achievements and Activities

� Designed, produced, and hosted

new and smaller U.S. ITER exhibit at

the International Atomic Fusion

Energy Conference held in Geneva

in October 2008.

25-26 May 2009

U.S. ITER Communications Office

Achievements and Activities, continued

� Updated and hosted the U.S. ITER large exhibit, which was displayed at the AAAS 2009

Annual Meeting in Chicago February 12–16. Hundreds of scientists, educators, students,

and media representatives visited the exhibit, which featured updated display panels, a

new touch-activated plasma “crackle pole,” and a revised interactive student quiz on fusion

energy. Educational handouts included U.S. ITER mouse pads and flashing "buzballs" with

the U.S. ITER logo.

� Larger exhibit also was displayed for

several months in the International

Court of Flags at Oak Ridge National

Laboratory, where it was viewed by

distinguished lab visitors and high-

level DOE personnel.

25-26 May 2009

U.S. ITER Communications Office

Achievements and Activities, continued

� Worked with producer for History Channel Modern

Marvels series to help her prepare for interviews with

Ned Sauthoff and other ORNL scientists. The resulting

program, “Super Hot,” debuted on the channel last

summer.

� Wrote and distributed news release on the development

of an improved cast stainless steel for possible use in the

ITER device. It received considerable media coverage,

appearing in Science Daily, Genetic Engineering News,

Science, Azom.com, Birmingham Star, Knoxville News

Sentinel, Oak Ridger, Smash Hits, TopNews, TIME,

RedOrbit, United Press International, DailyIndia.com,

SteelGuru, Post Chronicle, Newspost Online,

Thaindian.com, Hindustan Times, DailyTech, Innovations

Report, Industrial News Room, Materials Performance,

Machine Design, and PhysOrg.com.

25-26 May 2009

U.S. ITER Communications Office

Achievements and Activities, continued� Coordinated preparation of an invited article on U.S. ITER for the April issue of

Chemical Engineering Progress.

� Coordinated preparation of a Ned Sauthoff

guest column for the ITER International

Newsline electronic newsletter. Article

addressed the positive funding situation for

the USIPO.

� Produced new trifold U.S. ITER brochure highlighting project partnerships with

American industry and educational institutions. Brochure was distributed at the

IAEA and AAAS meetings.

� Submitted numerous other items for

publication in Newsline, including

coverage of visits by participants in the

University of Tennessee Global

Leadership Scholars Program and by

Helen Henderson Hinton; the appointment

of Bernice Rogers as WBS manager for

the Tokamak Exhaust Processing

System; and the USIPO “After Hours”

picnic.

25-26 May 2009

U.S. ITER Communications Activities of Partner Labs

� Includes ITER section on PPPL web site, with info and links to International ITER and U.S. Contributions to ITER.

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

� Includes ITER on traveling poster-board at community events.

� Features articles/updates about ITER and ITER staff in PPPL newsletters.

� Has taken the lead in establishing the Fusion

Communications Group, spearheading fusion

communications collaboration with colleagues at major

fusion research institutions in the U.S., as well as with

ITER International. Partners include General Atomics,

ITER International, MIT Plasma Science and Fusion

Center, ORNL, PPPL, and the USIPO; lead

communications professionals at each make up the

group. PPPL will host the first meeting June 25–26.

� Includes ITER brochure in info packages; discusses ITER during tours and news interviews. Includes ITER section in PPPL DVD “Fueling the Future.”

25-26 May 2009

U.S. ITER Communications Activities of Partner Labs

� Maintains permanent display in Center for Hydrogen Research, SRNL

Savannah River National Laboratory

� Addresses ITER role in lab’s overview fact sheet and in presentations to visitors.

� Approved U.S. ITER TEP Communications Plan.

� Continuing community relations effort through high-level presentations to various local groups (American Nuclear Society, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Society of Women Engineers, Project Management Institute, etc.)

� Includes SRNL participation in ITER on lab’s permanent display at Columbia, S.C., airport.

25-26 May 2009

Upcoming U.S. ITER Communications Activities

� Drafting plan for most efficient and

effective use of U.S. ITER displays at

upcoming meetings, including:

– Annual Meeting, American Physical

Society Division of Plasma Physics

(November 2–6, 2009, Atlanta)

– 2010 AAAS annual meeting

(February 18–22, San Diego)

� A much more compact and portable U.S. ITER exhibit has been designed for use at upcoming conferences and other events. Plans are for the lighter-weight pop-up exhibit with interchangeable pull-up panels to be displayed at the International Conference on Plasma Science and Symposium on Fusion Engineering May 31 - June 5 in San Diego.

25-26 May 2009

Upcoming U.S. ITER Communications Activities, continued

� Communications consultant Dale Meade will

work with USIPO Communications staff to

develop additional outreach materials

appropriate for multiple audiences (teachers,

science organizations, Congressional

representatives and staffers, general public).

He also will coordinate a team to develop

new fusion movies to use with displays and at

outreach activities and conferences. Dale will

make recommendations for U.S. ITER and

other U.S. fusion-related web sites and will

work with U.S. partner labs on U.S. ITER

outreach materials and activities.

� Communications staff are surveying

American science museums such as the

Smithsonian Institution in an effort to

update science displays related to fusion

energy. The plan is to meet with

Smithsonian and other museum officials

to discuss future exhibit opportunities.