It's meeting week in Cadarache

This week here in Cadarache, all attention will be focused on a series of important meetings. We start on Monday with the Science and Technology Advisory Committee (STAC), which will be followed by the Management Advisory Committee (MAC) on Wednesday and the Council Preparatory Working Group on Friday. All advisory panels are convening in order to assess the progress the ITER Organization is making on both a technical and a managerial level. They advise the Council and their input is of course crucial to gain the support that we need.

The Science and Technology Advisory Committee will focus its attention on the updated schedule which allows—for the first time—an integrated view ranging from the beginning of construction, through commissioning, and on to Deuterium-Tritium operation. This schedule will also be at the heart of discussions within the Management Advisory Committee, which will assess the resources necessary for execution. The associated staffing plans, systems engineering and integration between the ITER Organization and the Domestic Agencies are highlights as well.

Both meetings will be immediately followed by the Council Preparatory Working Group in order to make all necessary preparations for the next ITER Council meeting which will be held in Japan from 17-18 June. On Sunday, our busy week will be concluded with an ITER Organization-Domestic Agencies coordination meeting that will focus on the outcome of the STAC and MAC meetings, as well as on its important regular business of continuing to construct ITER as fast as possible.