In the earlier 2003 Newsletter issues, we could mostly welcome new colleagues. The present issue, however, announces many departures to new horizons, be it towards other institutes or well-deserved retirement.
Sebastien MULLER has accomplished his thesis and works since August as a postdoc at the Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics in Taipeh, Taiwan. Also in August, Melanie KRIPS has returned to the University of Köln. Raphaël MORENO has obtained a permanent position at the Observatoire de Paris, but was delegated to IRAM for a limited period to finish some work here.
At the end of December 2003, Albert GREVE has retired. Author and co-author of more than 115 scientific papers, he has worked on astronomical and instrumental topics which include observations in different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum from the radio to ultraviolet range, from the solar system to galactic and extragalactic astronomy, VLBI, water vapor radiometry and many more. He is also one of the rare experts on the thermal modeling and acceptance testing of telescopes, but above all a good scientist and a fine colleague.
On the Plateau de Bure, a major change has taken place this summer: Our cooks Marie-Jacqueline MINIERE et Eliane BARBAGIN have retired, and Nadine DURAND, our remaining full-time cook, has left IRAM. The cooking and houskeeping services are now sub-contracted to an external enterprise.
Finally, one of the staff changes announced in the last newsletter needs to be rectified (error of the editor!). Sebastién MOUGEL, who was announced as a new member of the receiver group, is in fact in the SIS group. Please excuse the confusion.