Lamont Weekly Report – August 19, 2005

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
P.O. Box 1000, 61 Route 9W Palisades, New York 10964

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– Letter from the Director –
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<> LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

Of course the public announcement of our plans for the new Geochemistry Building is the high point of the week. After more than a year of intense planning, it is a great relief to be able to get all our ideas and hopes out on the table, talk about everything in public, and begin the detailed design phase in earnest. Please try to attend the Open Meeting next Tuesday, August 23rd 130pm in the Monell Auditorium. Jeff Sachs will talk about the importance of this project to Lamont, and we will describe the status of planning and give everyone an opportunity to ask questions. A $45M, 63,000 sq ft building is going to have a major impact on our campus - we are all going to have to get used to the idea! Most importantly, our thanks go out to Gary Comer whose magnificent $18M gift has made all this possible.

Everything else this week pales in comparison with this announcement of course - I believe it is the beginning of a new era for the Observatory - we must consider this only the first step in a complete modernization of our campus and facilities.

I got back from South Korea on Saturday night, after an extremely interesting three days, and have spent a large part of the week working on the report to Congress on possible impacts of anthropogenic sound (e.g. seismic research operations) on the global marine mammal populations. This is supposed to be finalized in September.

I spent an interesting day on Wednesday at the retreat for the Earth Institute NSF-funded ADVANCE program out at the beautiful facilities at Black Rock Forest - talking with Vice Provost Jean Howard and the ADVANCE PIs about new and innovative ways to improve the career opportunities for women scientists.

But from the perspective of the Director's office the momentous event of the week is the fact that our secretary Violeta Tomsa is leaving Lamont - after eight years - to pursue a new career. We are sorry to see Violeta go - today is her last day - please wish her well if you see her this afternoon.

Personally my primary goal this weekend is to sleep…

Have a good one,

– Mike

P.S. Does anyone have a photo (essential that it be winter with no leaves) taken from the river, or from across the river, of the southern part of our campus - looking up to where the new Geochem Building will be (i.e. either on, or just across the existing Geochem parking lot)? If you do, please pass it on to Pat O'Reilly - we are looking for a good photo upon which to add an artist's impression of the new building, to use with the local planning board as we strive to gain all the various building permissions that we will need. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

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