SXSW 2023 — March 12-15, 2023 — South by Southwest (SXSW) began in the 1980s as a discussion about media and entertainment and for many people, it is known for its film festival and its cultural significance in being at the intersection of art and technology. However, in recent years, discussions around the climate crisis and its solutions have taken center stage. This year, nuclear energy has a voice at SXSW. To that end, Anthropocene Institute showcased its projects for building a bright, abundant future at this year’s SXSW Conference & Expo.

Our booth exhibit at the SXSW Creative Industries Expo, themed "Abundant clean energy is a human right," featured SpaceshipOne, Got Nuclear, AirGuardian, Solid State Fusion Energy, and QuizBam. We were joined by our partners TerraPraxis, ARC Clean Technology, Generation Atomic, and Stand Up for Nuclear as special guests.

The team presented Anthropocene and partner programs to expo attendees. We educated attendees on our involvement and advocacy in climate solutions, gifted conference swag, and officially debuted our programs to the public for the first time. Partners showcased systems for repowering coal plants using small modular reactors; solutions for safe, reliable, economical carbon-free power; and advocacy strategies for a nuclear future.

Highlights from the booth included interviews about AirGuardian with Concierto.CL and unbiased feedback on QuizBam that led to overnight usability improvements. SpaceshipOne earned a podcast interview with Stand Up For Nuclear. Got Nuclear received positive feedback on the topic of nuclear as a solution to solving climate disruption. In addition to our expo booth, our Nuclear Communications Consultant, Dinara Ermakova, participated on a panel hosted by We Don't Have Time at SXSW's Official Climate Hub event.

Off the show floor, Anthropocene Institute co-hosted a private tour of the TRIGA nuclear reactor at UT Austin and held an invite-only dinner at Uchiko with climate thought leaders, partners, and top journalists from Canary Media, WIRED, and Fast Company that forged positive, lasting business relationships. Anthropocene's involvement at this event provided us with a platform to educate attendees on the topic of nuclear energy and re-established our position in the sector among industry organizations, the media, and climate advocates.