The astronomer's group welcomes a new member: Sascha TRIPPE has started work at IRAM on February 1st.
On April 1st, Pavel JACHIM from the Astronomical Institute of Prague, Czech Republic arrived at IRAM. Pavel is the first ``visiting astronomer'' in a new program on the exchange of instrumental and scientific expertise.
Three staff members who have been with IRAM from its early days have gone into retirement. We thank them for many years of dedicated work. Jean-Louis POLLET, chef of the mechanical construction and workshop group, left IRAM on March 31st; his expertise and good organisation were essential in the realisation of the innumerable large and small high precision mechanical elements that astronomical instruments require. As announced in the last Newsletter, Bastien LEFRANC has taken over his tasks.
Dennis Downes, head of the astronomer's group, has retired on June 30th. With his encyclopaedic knowledge and analytic mind, his support was invaluable in the solution of many scientific enigmas. Roberto NERI has now taken over as group leader.
Finally, the electronician Iris CERVERA from the Plateau de Bure Observatory has retired. He participated in the construction of the Bure antennas and could quickly pinpoint and resolve the electrical problems that wear and high mountain conditions can cause.
We wish them a good and active retirement.
On August 31st, Bernard LAZAREFF ended his detachment from the CNRS and returned to the LAOG to continue his astronomical career. In his function as Frontend group leader, he has successfully orchestrated the development and realisation of several IRAM cutting-edge receiver generations (with the Pico Veleta EMIR as the latest project), and elements for several international observatories (e.g. ALMA).
On March 25th, Laurent BROCHE has left the Plateau de Bure Mechanics group to start his own business. Laurent has been a long-term member of the Bure team, with a very good understanding of the intricate workings of the antennas.
On March 26th, Jean-Jaques AZPEITIA has started work as a mechanic at the Plateau de Bure.
Christof Buchbender has joined the astronomers group as PhD student on June, 1st, 2009, after having finished his Diploma thesis at the MPIfR in Bonn. He will work on IRAM and Herschel data of the nearby galaxy M33 in the framework of the HERMES project.
On June, 15th, 2009, Juliette Voyez (Paris University) has joined the astronomers group for a two months summer research internship. She is guided by Guillermo Quintana-Lacaci.
Rosa Montalban left IRAM in May 2009, taking up a position at the Universidad de Granada. On August, 1st, 2009, Pablo Mellado Sanchez has joined the computer group as new system administrator.