Back from a short hiatus...
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. FY2001 PRESIDENTIAL BUDGET REQUEST FOR FUSION ENERGY SCIENCES RELEASED
2. DEADLINE FOR FUSION UNDERGRAD FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION = FEB. 21, 2000
3. WASHINGTON FUSION DAY = MARCH 9, 2000
4. SOME NEAR-TERM MEETINGS OF INTEREST
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1. FY2001 Budget Request for Fusion Energy Sciences Released
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The Clinton Administration's Fiscal Year 2001 Budget was sent to Congress on February 7.
The request for the DOE Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (OFES) for FY2001 is $247.3 million, compared to the $244.7 appropriated in FY2000. Since the slight increase is accounted for by a $3M charge for waste management transfer, this represents essentially a flat budget compared with the present fiscal year.
Within this flat budget, increases are proposed for Fusion Plasma Theory and advanced computing (+$3M), General Plasma Science (+$0.5M), and the timely completion of the TFTR site decommissioning (+$6.2M). Other categories, including operating funds for the major tokamak facilities and all of the Alternate confinement facilities, decrease by 5 to 6 percent on average.
Some particulars according to OFES subcategories:
Editorial comment: while it certainly does not include as much funds as needed, getting a flat Budget Request from the Aministration is a positive first step in the budget process. Our next job is to take our case to the Congress and press for the full funding levels needed to maintain the momentum of the restructured program. To that end, please note the section below on the upcoming Washington Fusion Day. Your participation DOES matter!
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2. Fusion Undergraduate Fellowship Application
Deadline Feb. 21, 2000 !!!
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The Department of Energy, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, is now accepting applications for the National Undergraduate Fellowship Program in Plasma Physics and Fusion Energy Sciences. It consists of a one-week introductory course in the basic elements of plasma physics, held at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, and followed by a nine-week research assignment at one of the participating universities or national laboratories (a list of Previous Research Sites is available on the web site).
The goal of this program is to stimulate students' interest in the fields of research relevant to fusion sciences. This is an excellent summer program for students, and offers an opportunity for top prospective gradaute students to be exposed to the vigor and excitement of fusion plasma science and engineering. A significant response from the best students is highly desirable, and we encourage you to both promote this program in your own institution and, as importantly, make it known to collegaues in instutitions which may not have a a significant plasma/fusion presence.
The program will be conducted from June 11 to August 18, 2000. Students will receive a stipend of $4,800 and travel expenses up to $1,000 for travel to and from their university or permanent U.S. address. Room and expenses and some meals during the one-week course at Princeton will be paid by the Program. Students will be responsible for their housing and meal expenses during the remaining nine weeks.
Applications for the 2000 Program are invited from U.S Citizens who are matriculated students in engineering, mathematics, computer science, or physics. The Program is open to undergraduates who are currently in their junior year. The application material is due February 21, 2000.
The application can be found on-line at: <underline>http://www.pppl.gov/docs/education/pages/nuf.html</underline>. It can be completed electronically or downloaded and submitted by mail or by fax.
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3. Washington Fusion Day = March 9, 2000
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(from Mark Haynes et al.)
This e-mail contains a brief general discussion of the fusion program in the context of this year's session of Congress and discusses plans for the upcoming March 9th "Washington Fusion Day" (Formerly known as "Fusion Education Day", but the name was changed to eliminate any confusion with the DPP's "Teacher Education Day" and Plasma Expo activities).
CONGRESS AND FUSION
Last Congress was a very successful one for the fusion program in terms of receiving a much needed increase in the program's FY 00 budget (Appropriations for the program went from approximately $223 million in FY99 to $250 million in FY00). Without a doubt, a major contributing factor to this increase was the reality and the energetic and successful expression to Congress of the cooperation and consensus that has been reached within the program. Our success this year depends upon this same energy and cooperation.
As many of you know, our goal as a community this year is to increase the Fusion Energy Sciences budget to at least $300 million in FY 2001 as is called for by the PCAST, SEAB and FESAC studies. Although this will not be easy, it is not unreasonable given the remaining funding constraints in the program, the President's announced substantial increases in R&D funding, and the increased interest in Congress in increasing R&D funding.
Because this is a Presidential election year, Congressional action on Appropriations bills is predicted to be more compressed than in years past. Hence, it is important that we act quickly and effectively as a community to press our case to the many Congressional offices involved in funding decisions. In this regard, it is important to contact your Congressional office(s) to reestablish old relationships, establish new ones.
See below for some helpful hints on communicating with Congress and for a listing of Members of key Congressional committees and their phone numbers.
WASHINGTON FUSION DAY - - THURSDAY, MARCH 9th
Plans are proceeding for this year's "Washington Fusion Day" on Thursday, March 9th. As the format of this event in previous years has seemed to be successful and fun, our thought was to stick with what works. So, expect the following:
- A breakfast get together beginning at 8:15 a.m. at the Tortilla Coast restaurant on the House of Representatives side of Capitol Hill. Members of Congress and key staff will be invited to attend (and have indeed joined us in the past).
- A series of as many meetings on Capitol Hill with your state's delegation and/or with relevant Committee staffers as you can fit in during the remainder of the day, In general, you are responsible for setting these meetings up, but we will can and will provide assistance and coordination to help you out.
- An informal lunch re-grouping (for those whose meeting schedules allow) in one of the House cafeterias.
- Handouts to use during the day.
This is an excellent opportunity to communicate with Congress. Staff and Members on the Hill who have been visited in the past remember this event and appreciate the effort that people make to come and visit them. They also benefit from having researchers from their state or district give their perspective on the program.
More details will be sent as the event approaches. Meanwhile, please respond to this e-mail if you plan to attend. Call or contact any of us if you have questions or need assistance. Thank you for your help.
SUGGESTIONS FOR COMMUNICATING
MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH CONGRESS
1. Work to establish long-term relationship: every call or visit should not be a plea for money or for your facility's future.
2. Do your homework: know something about the Member, the Congressional process, and about the status of the legislation you're discussing. This way, you have a better context for framing your remarks and understanding the perspective of the Member or staff person.
3. Carefully plan what you want to say. This will help ensure that your message gets across.
4. At the very beginning of the meeting, try to get a sense of how much the Member or staffer already knows about the fusion program (and fusion itself) and then tailor your remarks accordingly.
5. Come to the point quickly and be as brief as possible. Members of Congress and their staffs are very busy. By being brief and to the point, they are more likely to want to talk to you in the future.
6. Work to make your conversation a dialog, not a monologue. First, there is so much to learn by listening to Members of Congress and their staffs. Second, given the complexity of the Fusion Energy Sciences program and what your institution is doing, people glaze over quickly when being subjected to a long monologue.
7. If you have any negative feelings about the political system, keep them to yourself - - they will not help your case.
8. When talking about plasma physics and fusion, work hard to speak in simple and understandable terms. Don't even think of using terms like "magnetohydrodynamic" or "H-mode" in hopes that they will clarify a point.
9. Seek to convey the excitement and promise of the whole field of plasma physics and fusion. Don't just talk about your own lab or facility: its future rests on support for the whole endeavor of plasma science and fusion.
10. Be as positive as possible in your interactions: don't lay down any guilt trips or make threats or accusations. From the point of view of people in Congress, few people or institutions are really entitled to anything. Scientists and their facilities are, unfortunately, no exception. So, be humble.
11. Ask perceptive questions and listen, listen, listen.
12. Once is not enough. Almost without exception, getting support from a Congressional office for anything (a signature on a letter, a favorable vote, a meeting, etc.) requires more than one call. Only the politely persistent will prevail and you should therefore feel comfortable in establishing a relationship based on several contacts over time.