Martha Krebs Addresses Fusion Committee

One of the concluding speakers at the September 9 meeting of the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee was Dr. Martha Krebs, Director of the Department of Energy Office of Science. While her discussion focused on fusion, Krebs discussed a number of issues of interest to the physics community.

Krebs began her presentation by describing four major research facilities that have come on line, or are scheduled to do so in the near future. They include the B Factory, the Fermilab Main Injector, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, and Sandia’s Combustion Research Facility.

This stands in contrast to fusion research, which Krebs said has endured a “really, really challenging time for the last three years.” Krebs described the effects of sharply reduced funding for fusion as “difficult and painful,” and acknowledged the “extraordinary human effort” that has occurred to adjust to this situation. The result is “overall, I would say, a success,” Krebs declared, while acknowledging that more work remains to be done.

Dr. Krebs praised the magnetic fusion energy and inertial fusion energy communities for the manner in which they have worked together during the last year, saying that it has been “tremendously useful [to DOE] in thinking through the FY 2001 [fusion] budget” that is now in its formative stages. DOE will respond, she said, “in an appropriate way” in the next few weeks.

Krebs also discussed the National Ignition Facility. “We need this facility to work well, too” she stated, adding that the Office of Science will look for research opportunities in this laser facility that has a research focus on nuclear weapons. “This effort is important for the whole fusion effort,” she said. Her remarks came a few days after it was revealed that the facility may be delayed by up to two years, and cost $350 million more than expected.

The Spallation Neutron Source was also mentioned by Dr. Krebs. “We all have a stake” in the SNS she said. While allowing that “we’ve had problems” with it, she quickly added “I think we are getting it back on track,” with the assistance of the whole community.

Another issue raised by Krebs was the pending reorganization of the department’s weapons laboratories. Krebs explained that she had not had an opportunity to read the congressional report language on the reorganization, saying “I can’t really” comment on what effect it would have on DOE’s civilian science programs. While cautioning that there would be some uncertainties in coming months if the reorganization occurs, she expressed guarded optimism that a working relationship would continue, albeit with new procedures. “I’ve got lots of money in the weapons labs,” she told committee members, citing the combustion research and genome research as but two examples.

At the end of her remarks, Krebs was asked when the fusion sciences program could become more oriented toward technology. Krebs replied that “we need results” over the next “few years,” before that can occur. She also told committee members that, in speaking of Bill Richardson, “The Secretary is positive about fusion.”