Personnel Movements
Andy Hide
returned to the UK unfortunately only after having spent just over a year
with ING as Head of the Telescope and Instrument Group. Andy’s vacancy has
been filled by
Diego Cano, who joined ING in September.
After many years at ING
Doug Gray also decided to returned to the
UK. It will be particularly difficult to replace his vast knowledge and experience
of the infrastructure that is key to ING.
Jürg Rey, who was until recently heading the group of Telescope
Operators, has assumed the role of Duty Head of the Operations Group, while
Juan Carlos Guerra has brought the Telescope Operator Group back up
to strength again.
In the software group
Stephen Goodsell decided to take up a position
at Durham University to work on adaptive optics related projects and to progress
his PhD. Vacant positions in the software group, some related to new development
projects have been filled by
Niko Apostolakos,
Jure Skvarc and
Sergio Pico.
Betty Vander Elst assisted the Administration group for some time
on a part-time basis, but left ING during spring of this year.
Also the Astronomy Group has seen significant changes. Support Astronomers
Almudena Zurita and
Paco Prada, as well as
Marco Azzaro
(Telescope Operator) have started a new life in Granada, while
Illona Söchting
moved to Oxford to work on the Gemini telescope project.
Mischa Schirmer
and
Samantha Rix, both with extensive experience in observational
astronomy, have joined the team.
All those who have left ING and have worked hard to make ING into the successful
observatory it is today are wished well in their new carreers.
¤