Travelling Exhibition – Fusion Expo Melita Lenošek Kavčič, Saša Novak
Jožef Stefan Institute
Jamova cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia melita.lenosek@ijs.si, sasa.novak@ijs.si ABSTRACT
The Fusion Expo is an itinerant exhibition presenting fusion as a natural phenomenon and energy source, fusion as a European research project, history of fusion research, European research facilities, ITER, plans toward development of a fusion power plant and technological, environmental and sociological aspects of this energy source. Main target group of this travelling exhibition, specifically designed to address young students is the general public. It is also suitable for addressing other audiences, such as decision makers or journalists.
Since the beginning of the Fusion Expo support actions under EFDA in 2008, the Fusion Expo has been the responsibility of the Slovenian Fusion Association (Association EURATOM MHEST) [1] that is trying to present it to the visitors in an interactive way.
The paper presents past experiences, some discoveries, improvements and challenges of Fusion Expo support actions under EFDA (European Fusion Development Agreement) [2].
1 INTRODUCTION
According to the analyses made by EFDA at the end of the 20th century the public knowledge of fusion in general is scarce and the general interest in technology, which will experience large-scale deployment in 50 years, is modest [3].
It became obvious that the fusion community in Europe has a need for a coordinated public information strategy. Some of the reasons were decision on the location of ITER, poor public awareness about the fusion and research, recent public concern about the climate change and security of supply. These reasons offer very good opportunity for the fusion community to explain the fusion power to general public.
Based on results of the inaccurate public opinion in the past and poor awareness of the fusion research and technologies, a powerful tool for communication with general public was created. The Fusion Expo is one of interactive possibilities to present and explain concepts which most people find hard to understand. Bringing fusion energy closer to the people is important. The best way is letting visitors to interact with experiments, models and mock-ups [4].
2 FUSION EXPO
The Fusion Expo is a travelling exhibition produced by the European Commission and supported by EFDA. Original set-up of the exhibition was created in 1993 by the Association EURATOM-Confederation Suisse and with support from CERN [5]. Present-day modular
form was created in 2006. Since October 2008 it has been managed by the Slovenian Fusion Association. The main goal and intention of this project remain the same since beginning: to run the Fusion Expo in the most efficient way possible.
The exhibition was designed and created as one of the most effective communication tools with the intention to present fusion research to a wide range of target groups and to attract positive media attention.
Fusion Expo is a modular exhibition and can be assembled as a Mini or Maxi setup, depending on the area size available for the exhibition or purpose of the event.
Current Fusion Expo includes:
- Thematic Islands presenting fusion basics and ITER project - Multimedia sections designed to describe fusion
- Multimedia BARCO system - 3D projection of the Starmakers movie, presented in language of the host country
- Models and mock-ups:
o ITER model (with animation of making plasma) (Figure 1) o JET model
o Scheme of Reactor site o Stellarator model
o FTU model (Frascati Tokomak Upgraded) o Section Reactor Model
- Toroidal Plasma Tube, called “Mellator”
- Plasma Ball - Crackle Tube - Hologram of ITER
- Bicycle known as “human powered power plant”
Figure 1: ITER model
2.1 Exhibitions under Slovenian Fusion Association
Association EURATOM MHEST organized four teams with people from Jožef Stefan Institute: a coordinating, a working, a technical and a graphical team.
From the beginning of the Fusion Expo support action fifteen events have been realized until now: six Maxi and five Mini exhibitions. The Fusion Expo was also presented with the fusion Road Shows at ESOF in Torino and at Lowlands festival in Biddinghuizen and two international festivals for younger generations in Budapest as well. Locations of all events are marked with the red spots on the map (Figure 2). All of them were selected to present Expo across the whole Europe, especially in countries where the Expo has not been presented yet or hasn’t been there for a long time.
Figure 2: Locations of the past Fusion Expo events
The first Fusion Expo team tryout took place in Paris, from 14th to 16th November 2008, where the maxi Fusion Expo in the European City of Science at Le Grand Palais was presented. As a main attraction for most visitors, the Fusion and Plasma Road Show from
Second Expo was exhibited in March 2009 in our home country. That was a very good opportunity to train the whole Expo team and to test the new procedure for hosting the Fusion Expo. The event served as a valuable source of experience for the next exhibitions, enabled a better review of actions needed for future events and also generated new suggestions for the hosts.
Table 1: List of the past exhibitions
Location Date Number of
visitors
Paris, France 14 – 16 November 2008 42.000*
Ljubljana, Slovenia 10 – 20 March 2009 3.500
Prague, Czech Republic 7 – 8 May 2009 1.310
Koszalin, Poland 27 May – 9 June 2009 2.700
Szczecin, Poland 15 June – 15 July 2009 2.248
Budapest, Hungary 12 – 17 August 2009 1.000
Łodz, Poland 10 – 25 October 2009 2.531
Katowice, Poland 3 – 20 November 2009 6.000
Dublin, Ireland 10 – 13 November 2009 3.000
Cork, Ireland 17 – 22 November 2009 173**
Terrassa, Spain 4 March – 2 May 2010 17.506
Barcelona, Spain 17 – 21 March 2010 70.000*
Torino, Italy 2 – 7 July 2010 /
Budapest, Hungary 11 – 16 August 2010 /
Biddinghuizen, Netherlands 20 – 22 August 2010 /
* Number mentioned above presents all the visitors at larger event, where many exhibitions took place, including Expo.
** Very low number is a result of November 2009 flood in Ireland.
Third exhibition was hosted under the Research Connection 2009 Conference in Prague (7th - 8th May 2009). At this location the Mini Expo was presented which was thematically updated especially for this opportunity under the title: Fusion energy research and industry.
New exhibition panels prepared by the European Commission proved to be a very valuable addition to the Expo.
Fourth Expo was hosted by Association EURATOM IPPLM and Koszalin University of Technology, Poland, from 27th May till 9th June 2009. Exhibition in Koszalin was the first one out of four planned locations of the Fusion Expo in Poland.
The fifth Maxi Expo was located at the north of Poland, hosted for one month (15th June – 15th July 2009) by Association EURATOM IPPLM and University of Szczecin. It was replacement for a permanent exhibition in the House of experiments named “EUREKA”.
They had decided to host the Fusion Expo as a part of the local program to introduce the advanced nuclear technology into the region in future.
Sixth Fusion Expo was exhibited at Łodz, hosted by Association EURATOM IPPLM and Faculty of Physic and Applied Informatics, University of Łodz on the location of the Faculty (10th – 25th October 2009). The host organization has invited a lot of students and pupils, some journalists, but they didn’t succeed to attract visitors from the street.
Seventh exhibition, fourth in tour of Poland, was hosted by Institute of Physic in Katowice (3rd – 20th November 2009). Institute of Physic was a very good location in the city centre of Katowice. The host organization decided to place the exhibition in a heated tent, which turned out as a good solution for the exhibition.
After the tour of Poland the Fusion Expo moved to Ireland (10th – 13th November 2009).
During the Science week the eighth Expo took place at DCU in Dublin. The hosts contributed additional experiments like Ruben’s flame tube, demonstrating plasma with light bulb in microwave and Van der Graff demonstration which made a great impression.
The ninth Fusion Expo in Cork (17th – 21st November 2009) was connected with the Science week. Apart from good will, advertising and enthusiastic approach, the realisation of the exhibition in Cork didn’t reach the goals because of very bad weather and floods in Ireland in November 2009.
2010 had started with a new experience and tenth Fusion Expo in Terrassa at Spanish Museum of science and technology of Catalonia (4th March – 2nd May 2010). The Fusion Expo was for two months accompanied by other demonstrations of science and technology and guided by physics students from University of Barcelona.
Eleventh exhibition was presented as a part of Educational fair in Barcelona, hosted by Fusion for Energy (17th – 21st March 2010). The Educational fair organizers took a great effort to attract 70.000 visitors in only five days. Fusion for Energy made decisive approach with enlivening of the Expo with “tritium and deuterium drum dance” (Figure 3).
Figure 3: “Tritium and deuterium dance”
Some Fusion Expo models were also presented with Danish Fusion Road Show at ESOF (EuroScience Open Forum, 2nd – 7th July 2010) in Torino as a support for providing the Fusion Expo with live performances of Road Show for larger events.
As a supporting participation at international events for young generation we took part
Last supported event took place at open air Lowlands music festival in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands (20th -22nd August 2010) where the Dutch Fusion Road Show and some parts of the Fusion Expo were presented as a part of ‘Sustainable playground’.
Plan for the forthcoming events was made in advance and presents a very fruitful work of our teams. The calendar of planned events is regularly updated and published on the Fusion Expo web page (http://www.fusion-expo.si).
2.2 Improvements
One of the first tasks of our graphical team was creation of the Fusion Expo web site:
http://www.fusion-expo.si which turned out to be a very good communication tool and a reliable source of a wide spectrum of information for general public, potential hosts, journalists, future visitors of the Fusion Expo etc. (Figure 4).
Figure 4: Fusion Expo web page
During the support action a new and attractive announcement was designed for the exhibition in Ljubljana. Due to a good feedback of visitors and general public it has become the official template for printed announcements and leaflets for future Fusion exhibitions under the Slovenian Fusion Association.
With respect to public response the big Plasma Ball seems to be one of the most attractive exhibits of the Fusion Expo. The big Plasma Ball was bought under the Fusion Expo contract of the Italian association but has never been used before. After realizing that the Plasma Ball is working properly, a suitable pedestal for it was designed. The ball was displayed for the first time in Ljubljana and was later used in all other Expo events. After time it has become the most attractive exhibit for journalists and has been always shown on pictures in the media.
Beside this several improvements have been implemented, e.g. modifications of the Expo inventory and transport boxes with the intention of making the Fusion Expo more transportable.
One of the last achievements of making the Fusion Expo more interesting to the general public was creation of the “virtual tour” movie of the exhibition, published on the web page and available to all potential hosts of the exhibition, interested visitors, journalists and coincidental visitors (Figure 4). The short clip presents how the Fusion Expo could look like and how to inspire the general public.
2.3 Discussion
Looking at the photos and panels of the Expo could be nice, but it is not interactive enough. The most interactive parts of the exhibitions are models, mock-ups and experiments.
Visitors might remember a nice poster for a few days but it won’t help them to understand the fusion and remember the exhibition. That is why power of the experiment seems to be one of the best tools for better understanding and memorising the idea of fusion.
One of the research groups suggested that the guided tour on the exhibition is too formal and most of the people do not like to be taken around and having to adapt themselves to the group spirit [4]. Besides, they became convinced that even the posters were not interesting enough, because most of the information is already available on the internet. Regarding our experience with the Fusion Expo, the exhibition is not self-explanatory and therefore the guides are a very important part of the Expo. Special care has to be taken to avoid too specialized, not well understandable and hence boring explanations. The most important quality of a good guide is his or her enthusiasm, familiarity with the fusion and understanding of the principles, applicable in fusion and fusion research.
3 CONCLUSIONS
There are several goals of a public relation strategy, but they should all include at least the following elements: increasing the general level of knowledge (specialists, decision makers and general public), generating positive media attention and supporting public information by providing relevant background information and materials such as brochures, draft letters for the journalists etc.
The Fusion Expo seems to follow these goals. It is not only a tool for presenting the information, but could be also used as a very good method for interactive explanations and involving the visitors into their own learning process. Interesting explanations and intuitive demonstration of the fusion experiments could increase understanding of scientific principles and interests for the scientific research and technical knowledge.
REFERENCES
[1] http://www.fusion-expo.si [2] http://www.efda.org/index.htm
[3] G. Borrelli, I. Cook, T. Hamacher, etc., “Socio-Economic Research on Fusion”, Summary of EU Research 1997-2000, EFDA, 2001
[4] HD Group, “Evaluation of the Communication of EFDA” - www.efda.org
[5] J. Mlynar, R. Kamendje, D. Borba, etc., “Public Information in European Fusion Energy Research: Methods and Challenges”, Paper at the 12th Int. Conf. on Emerging Nuclear Systems (ICENES 2005), 2005, pp. 1-13
