In particular, DeLooper was cited for his efforts in coordinating the Snowmass Fusion Summer Study Workshops, which took place in Snowmass, Colorado, in 2002 and 1999. At the most recent, about 300 leading scientists from the U.S. and international fusion community attended the two-week forum that assessed the major next steps in fusion energy science research.
N. Anne Davies, DOE's Associate Director of Science for Fusion Energy Sciences, presented the award to DeLooper during a DOE meeting earlier this month in Maryland. "John has been responsible for so much of our success at outreach and science education, both at Princeton and at our annual American Physical Society-Division of Plasma Physics meetings. He also applied his organizational skills and his energy to making our two Snowmass workshops happen. It was the success of those workshops that led to consensus in the fusion community that enabled an Administration decision to join ITER negotiations," said Davies.
ITER is a major international magnetic fusion research project with a mission is to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of nuclear fusion as a source of energy. The U.S. recently announced it is joining the negotiations for the construction and operation of ITER.
DeLooper joined the staff at PPPL in 1988, serving in a number of positions. In 1997, he became Associate Director for External Affairs with responsibility for overseeing governmental affairs, science education, and information services for the Laboratory. This work encompasses outreach activities and media relations, as well as special projects. Prior to coming to PPPL, he worked for 14 years for an architectural and engineering firm that specializes in power plant design.
DeLooper received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a master's degree in business administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He is a New Jersey licensed professional engineer. DeLooper is a resident of Hopewell Township.
PPPL, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and managed by Princeton University, is a collaborative national center for science and innovation leading to an attractive fusion energy source. Fusion is the process that powers the sun and the stars. In the interior of stars, matter is converted into energy by the fusion, or joining, of the nuclei of light atoms to form heavier elements.