Science Event Picks: NIF-ty Laser Talks Coming to Local Science Cafés

Kishore Hari — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:44:27 +0000

Last year, QUEST visited the largest laser beam in world: The National Ignition Facility in Livermore. The goal is to create fusion energy, a potentially clean & sustainable source of energy. After $3.5 billion and a decade of work, that facility is now ready to fire up. Experiments are expected to begin in April as the laser continues to "warm up". The fusion experiment will most likely not happen until 2010, when the laser has achieved enough power.

In celebration of the operational launch of the NIF, engineers & scientists from the facility are presenting a series of talks and discussions geared for the general public.

Monday 4/20

Ed Moses, Principal Associate Director, NIF at Down to a Science in San Francisco

Tuesday 5/12

Ed Moses, Principal Associate Director, NIF at Café Scientifique Silicon Valley

Thursday 6/4

Richard Boyd, Science Director, NIF at Science Buzz Café in Sebastopol

Tuesday 6/9

Jeffery F. Latkowski, Chief Engineer for the Laser Inertial Fusion-Fission Energy (LIFE) program at Ask a Scientist in San Francisco