UFA NEWS:

The UFA would like to thank Ray Fonck for his excellent work as the UFA 
president for the past two years.  (I hope to do as well for the next two 
years.)

Three news items are reported:
·       FESAC meeting February 27 and 28
·       Washington Fusion Education Day
·       OFES Budget Planning meeting


FESAC MEETING (Feb. 27 and 28):

The Fusion Energy Science Advisory Committee meeting will be held February 
27 and 28 in Gaithersburg Maryland. Topics that will be discussed are:

Fusion Material Program
Burning-plasma Physics
Theory review
NSF centers (Centers were proposed in the NRC report. Look for a 
subsequent email on this topic)

The agenda is given on the following web site:

http://wwwofe.er.doe.gov/more_html/FESAC/Agenda.pdf


WASHINGTON FUSION EDUCATION DAY (March 1):

This has been a very successful event and you are encouraged to attend.

The following is a shorten version of an email you may have received from 
Mark Haynes: March 1st will be this year's "Washington Fusion Day". Fusion 
Day it is an organized opportunity for members of the fusion community to 
come to Washington and meet with your respective Congressional 
delegations. Note that Thursday, March 1st falls on the heels of the 
February 27th and 28th FESAC meeting in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Activities 
include:
- A breakfast get together beginning at 8:15 a.m. at the Tortilla Coast 
restaurant near the House of Representatives office buildings. Members of 
Congress and key staff will be invited to attend (and have indeed joined 
us in the past), mingle and say a few words.
- 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 can and will provide assistance and 
coordination if you need it.
- An informal lunch re-grouping (for those whose meeting schedules allow) 
in one of the House cafeterias.

Please make plans to attend. Staff 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 come and give them their perspective on the program.

Please contact one of the following if you plan to attend:
Kate Bannan (University of California) (202) 588-0080
David Cherington (Princeton U.) (202) 639-8420
Caroline Hanna (MIT) (202) 789-1828
Mark Haynes (GA) (202) 496-8209


BUDGET PLANNING MEETING (March 13 and 14):

One element in broadening the program is to have the University community 
participate more fully in OFES budget planning. A few years ago much of 
the budget planning was carried out with very limited University 
involvement in the budget planning process, particularly at the budget 
meeting in March where the Labs presented their field work 
proposals.  Then, the Chair of UFA was invited to participate in the 
planning meeting. This year a number of researchers from the University 
Community, in addition to the UFA Chair, have received an e-mail 
announcing the March Budget Planning meeting.

There is agreement at OFES that this is an open meeting.  While there is 
no need for all the University programs to be represented at the meeting 
anyone from the University Community who wants to attend is welcome to do 
so. The meeting will be March 13-14 at the Gaithersburg Hilton, not DOE.

Tom Jarboe, UFA President