LHC restart and the new CERN Communication Plan James Gillies, CERN 9 March 2009

Recap: CERN LHC Communication plan Methodology Recap: CERN LHC Communication plan Period of validity: 2004 - 2008 Objective: leverage start-up of LHC to increase the profile of CERN, LHC, particle physics; create a platform for future communication of particle physics. Mission accomplished, but no time for complacency: the task ahead is harder Need new communication plan. Due to be submitted to CERN management end March.

CERN Communication plan 2009-2013 Methodology CERN Communication plan 2009-2013 Scope   This plan covers the period 2009-2013, during which the first results from the LHC will be published. Its main objective is to build on the platform created by the public impact of the LHC start-up in 2008 to position CERN’s key message of basic science as a key knowledge and innovation driver. Particular attention will be given to internal communication, recognising both the need for effective communication to a diverse community, and that every member of that community is a potential ambassador for CERN and particle physics.

CERN Communication plan 2009-2013 Methodology CERN Communication plan 2009-2013 Main elements:   Communications through the LHC repairs and restart. Protocols for announcements Internal communication Local communication Conditions of use for CERN image and information Brand management Web 2 Provision of a quality visit experience at CERN

CERN Communication plan 2009-2013 Methodology CERN Communication plan 2009-2013 Objectives   To foster support for CERN and particle physics To position CERN as a global laboratory and a world leader in fundamental physics research To position fundamental science as a driving force for innovation

CERN Communication plan 2009-2013 Methodology CERN Communication plan 2009-2013 Key messages   Fundamental science satisfies the basic human instinct to explore Fundamental science is a driving force for technical innovation, collaboration and scientific education CERN is a world leader in fundamental research The LHC will launch a new era of discovery and understanding LHC technologies create benefits for society

CERN Communication plan 2009-2013 Methodology CERN Communication plan 2009-2013 Target audiences   Science and technology opinion formers The CERN community The local community The broader scientific community Media Educational systems at high school level

Communications through the LHC repairs and restart Methodology Communications through the LHC repairs and restart Already implemented: Weekly updates Reactivation of twitter.com/cern More timely press releases (with apologies to EPPCN..) Future milestones: First beam - press release First collisions - press release World record beam energy - press release First high energy collisions - media event First results - media event

Media event for first high energy collisions Methodology Media event for first high energy collisions Almost certain: 24-hour live webcast coordinated from CCC through first collision period Media invited to CERN for the period. If demand relatively low, to be hosted by experiments. If higher, Globe to be used as media centre. Under negotiation: Regular live(?) updates via Eurovision worldfeeds.

Media event for first results Methodology Media event for first results Information flow subject to protocol (next slide) Aim to announce result at seminar at CERN Live webcast Press conference to follow What if... ...someone jumps the gun? Nothing official until results seminar. ...someone jumps the gun with incorrect information? Immediate denial. Speed is of the essence.

Protocols for announcements Methodology Protocols for announcements Experiment triggers process, informing DG, DR, DG-CO DG convenes meeting of all experiments DG-CO drafts press release, pre-publishes results website Draft sent to DG, DR and experiments for approval Draft sent to EPPCN, InterActions DG informs Member States DG informs CERN personnel of announcement seminar DG-CO issues press release under embargo Results seminar Question mark? Does press release include result, or just advance information?

Internal communication Methodology Internal communication This also means you! CERN has a large and varied internal constituency consisting of staff, users and contractors as well as stakeholders such as the Member States. Appropriate communication mechanisms for reaching this constituency exist, but are not currently being put to optimum use.   Staff and the broader CERN community turn to established communication channels, the Bulletin and the intranet for information, particularly in time of crisis. We need to re-establish these channels as reliable, open and authoritative sources of information, reinforced by direct email from the Director General and effective use of the screens installed in 2008 by the IT Department. A detailed internal communication plan is in preparation.

Methodology Local communication Friendly neighbours are a great asset, disgruntled ones can shut you down! Since the civil engineering for LEP, CERN’s communication to the local region has been at the political level, channelled through the Host State relations office. Little effort has been made to engage other actors in the region, such as schools, youth groups and the population at large. Some effort was made to redress the balance in 2008 with the public open day in April and events in two local shopping centres. The communication group, working with the Host State liaison office, also commissioned a report from a French communication agency (Anatome) covering local perceptions of CERN and making recommendations for a more proactive policy of communication to the local region. Among the recommendations of this report are the establishment of two community liaison groups – one involving influential people in the local region, for example representatives of local authorities and journalists, the second involving representatives of youth groups.

Conditions of use for CERN image and information Methodology Conditions of use for CERN image and information An initiative of the new CERN management is to establish a code of conduct for CERN personnel. This will include elements covering the use of CERN’s image, as encoded in the Organization’s graphic chart, and the dissemination of information in the form, for example, of blogs.

Methodology Brand management Since September 10, CERN has effectively become a brand, and extra effort is required at CERN to monitor how that brand is percieved. This is an area that EPPCN can be extremely helpful, in alerting us, for example, to negative trends in the media. A consequence of being more well known is, of course, that more negative coverage is inevitable. This makes it important to distinguish isolated cases from trends.

Methodology Web 2 The set of tools collectively known as Web 2.0 is becoming an increasingly important source of information to a large number of people. It is also becoming an important means of information gathering for organizations, and can therefore play a part in brand management. CERN plans to engage more fully with Web 2.0 tools. Our actions to date are a twitter site, a youtube channel, and a (voluntary) monitor of the English Wikipedia entries. In future, we will investigate other options, such as image sharing and social networking sites, and use twitter to monitor opinion. Wikipedia remains an unknown. Thanks to the US DOE, the LHC will soon appear in Second Life.

Provision of a quality visit experience at CERN Methodology Provision of a quality visit experience at CERN The visits service is set to receive an injection of resources in order to establish quality visit points and increase capacity from the current 25-30000 per year.

Methodology Conclusion We'll be busy!