Spreading the reality of ITER

On the very day that the Spanish national statistics office released results from their survey showing that scientists are the professionals that Spaniards trust the most, F4E’s own scientists Ferran Albajar and Jesus Izquierdo held a talk about fusion and the ITER project. Entitled “ITER: the biggest research experiment in the field of energy”, the talk was part of the lecture series “Challenges of the 21^st century – The Voice of Science” organised by the Residence for Researchers, an organisation of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) and the Generalitat, Government of Catalonia. The series aims to promote discussion and dialogue about the reality and prospects for some of the scientific and social challenges which have, in this century, become vitally important for the organisation and construction of a more intelligent and sustainable world.

In front of an audience consisting to large extent of engineering students as well as the Catalonian delegate from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the biggest science research centre network in Spain, our F4E representatives spoke of the fusion process, the technical as well as managerial challenges of the ITER project, and linked projects such as those of the Broader Approach and DEMO.  The relaxed, informal atmosphere helped a discussion develop about fusion energy’s place in the future energy mix, the general impact of technology on society, specifics related to ITER components and safety issues.  The point made is that ITER is no longer a challenge of the 21^st century as many of the components and systems are to a great extent already complete; ITER is a reality that will be realised completely by the next generation of scientists.