At ANS Winter Meeting

The American Nuclear Society meeting is taking place in Las Vegas 11/7-11. It has several sessions on social media and the nuclear energy industry.

ANS Conference Twitter hash tag: #ans10

A meet-up of anyone attending the ANS winter meeting in Las Vegas who is interested in the use of social media in the nuclear industry will be held Tuesday Nov 9th, from 6-9 PM at the Riviera Hotel & Casino, in the Royal 3 room (hotel interactive map).

The ANS Public Information Committee is the official host of the meeting and exclusive sponsorship is provided by the Idaho National Laboratory.

This is the second time such a meeting has been held. At the 2009 ANS Winter Meeting held in Washington, D.C., last November, we had a informal and successful meet-up of 45 people interested in discussing social media.

The plan this year is to have an informal discussion about how social media, including blogs, instant messages, and web services are shaping public perceptions of the nuclear energy industry. Also, this is an opportunity to meet others who work with these tools in the nuclear industry.

"The social media initiatives undertaken by the American Nuclear Society over the past year have broadened ANS nuclear outreach efforts and engaged new audiences," said Candace Davison, ANS Public Information Committee Chair.

"We are excited about the recent launch of the ANS Nuclear Cafe blog and hope that ANS members will become daily readers and active participants."

"Investing in our social media program at the Idaho National Laboratory, has had big returns for us. Whether it is posting a news tip on Twitter, recruiting a young engineer on Facebook, or building a relationship with a science blogger, we have seen positive results.” said Amy Lientz, Director of Communications and Governmental Affairs at INL.

“We are excited to sponsor this year's social media event and meet in person many of the folks behind the cyber-curtain."

What a difference a year makes

A lot has taken place in the past year. ANS has gotten into social media with the launch September 1 of its blog at the ANS Nuclear Cafe. Since January 2010, ANS has supported a listserv based discussion forum on social media's impact on nuclear energy which has over 100 people signed up.

Also, thanks to the organizing skills of Brian Wang at Next Big Future, an informal team of nuclear bloggers is publishing a Carnival of Nuclear Energy blogs every week. It is now in its 26th edition.  See the special ANS conference edition now online. 

National laboratories and nuclear utilities are using Facebook and other social media tools. In 2010 there are half a dozen new nuclear blogs.

Meeting agenda

The agenda for the social media meeting on Nov 9 starts with meet & greet with light refreshments from 6:00-6:30 PM. This will be followed by a round robin discussion about current topics in social media and how they impact the nuclear industry.

Highlights of social media sessions at ANS winter meeting

One of the things people will want to hear from you is what you've been doing in the past year with social media in the nuclear industry. Bring your story to Las Vegas!

Plus there are two sessions on communications, advocacy, and social media taking place Wednesday afternoon Nov 10. See the ANS conference program for details on locations. Read more below.

Monday lunchtime

11:45 AM – 12:45 PM Green Bag Lunch: “Focus on Communications”

Please join us for an interactive discussion of successful techniques for starting conversations about nuclear topics with friends, neighbors, and community groups. The program will include suggestions for resources available from ANS and other organizations. Plan on bringing your lunch and trading ideas with other attendees

Wednesday Afternoon

Focus on Communications: Pro-Nuclear Advocacy–Panel, sponsored by ETWDD. Session Organizer: Teri Ehresman (INL)

The electric power industry is beginning to consider the construction and operation of a new generation of nuclear power plants to ensure continuity of power supplies and to provide for the nation’s growing energy needs, and the debate over the safety and viability of nuclear energy is rapidly returning to a position of high visibility to the public.

In most cases the arguments being leveled against new nuclear generation capacity have not significantly changed since the peak of U.S. construction several decades ago. However, the supporters of nuclear power are taking a more active role, expanding the focus of their efforts beyond the scientific education of future generations to include communication with all affected individuals. This session will highlight current activities of pronuclear activists throughout the nation and the industry.

PANELISTS:

· Gary Duarte (U.S. Nuclear Energy Foundation)

· Lane Allgood (Partnership for Science and Technology in Idaho Falls)

· Denis Beller (UNLV)

· Candace Davison (Chair, ANS Public Information Committee)

Focus on Communications: Credibility in a Digital Age sponsored by: ANS Public Information Committee Session organizer: Dan Yurman, Consultant

The rise of social media including blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and other services is having a strong impact on the nuclear energy industry. An industry which is slow to change communications practices that it has used over decades is being challenged by a new generation that is comfortable with these technologies. Control of the message broadcast to the media and the public is being replaced by the integrity of the message in a diffuse social dialog.

What makes sense for nuclear professionals who have to get smart in how to use social media? This panel will address ways to help you understand social media's impact on the nuclear energy industry especially the conversation about it taking place outside the enterprise.

The session will be devoted to the ways in which ANS members can communicate credibly and compellingly with social media about nuclear energy in their communities and with policy makers.

This panel discussion brings together diverse professionals to explore the ideas, messages, and products that shape nuclear energy policy, for better and for worse.

The panel was organized as part of an online discussion that has been active since January 2010 on an ANS supported Internet-based mailing list.

PANELISTS:

· Jarret Adams, Areva; Outreach to bloggers and use of social media by a nuclear reactor vendor

· Tom Fields, Webmaster, Idaho National Laboratory; implementing Facebook in a large nuclear energy organization

· Laura Hermann, Potomac Communications Group; Tools for use by corporations to monitor social media

· Dan Yurman, Consultant; nuclear blogs as shapers of thought and opinion leaders and news media coverage

Wednesday afternoon

4:30 PM – 6:30 PM Focus on Communications Workshop

Communications with the people who make energy policy in Washington, DC, is a practiced art. Show up for this outstanding session to learn all about it. You'll even get a free beer. More details will be available in the final conference program. Don’t miss it.

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