Dear Dr. Jaeger.
The outpouring of support for Phil Bunker and Bob McKellar is a
strong indication that this is not only a Canadian matter, but a
truly International one. I strongly support a collective
international reaction to the Canadian NRC's treatment of two of
their outstanding basic scientists, as commodities that can be
declared "surplus" and discarded at short notice. I look forward to
the opportunity to sign a letter addressing this issue. We are, in
general, strong individualists, but this is an opportunity to display
our professional unity.
Good luck
Aron Kuppermann
At 1:20 AM -0600 09/10/2007, Wolfgang Jaeger wrote:
>Dear All,
>
>this is to let you know that the Canadian community is currently
>preparing a letter to the Minister in charge of NRC in response to
>the outrageous developments. One aspect of this letter will
>certainly be the reaction of the international scientific community,
>and further comments and suggestions on this mailing list can only
>help us. I will discuss with my Canadian colleagues how to best
>utilize your support. We may ask you in the next few days for more
>concrete input, perhaps an e-mail signature for the letter to the
>Minister.
>
>Wolfgang Jaeger
>
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>>Reply-To: J M Hutson <[log in to unmask]>
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>>From: J M Hutson <[log in to unmask]>
>>Subject: The end of high-resolution spectroscopy at NRC?
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>>I visited Gerard Meijer's group in Berlin this week, and ran into
>>Phil Bunker from NRC (Ottawa). Phil showed me a most amazing letter
>>from his employers at NRC, dated 6 September. The letter is headed
>>"Notice of Surplus Status". It begins:
>>
>>"As part of the implementation of the NRC Strategy `Science at Work
>>in Canada', we will be realigning some of our programs, activities
>>and
>>resources. ... I regret to inform you that as a result of this
>>exercise your position has been identified as surplus to
>>requirements ..."
>>
>>And then later on:
>>
>>"Your layoff date will be 1 November 2007 at the close of business."
>>
>>Phil tells me that Bob McKellar received a similar letter.
>>
>>I am sending this because I think the spectroscopy and dynamics
>>community needs to know what is going on. Both Phil and Bob are among
>>the most eminent and productive spectroscopists in the world. Many
>>leading researchers in Canada and worldwide started their research
>>careers in their groups. Their work has made and is making big
>>contributions to our understanding of the spectroscopy and dynamics
>>of clusters and other species.
>>
>>It is sad to see this happen to a once-great institution like NRC.
>>
>>Jeremy Hutson
>>
>>--
>>Prof. J. M. Hutson
>>Dept. of Chemistry
>>University of Durham
>>Durham Tel. (0191) 334 2147 (UK)
>>DH1 3LE Tel. +44 191 334 2147 (International)
>>England FAX: +44 191 384 4737
>>
>>World-Wide Web home page: http://www.dur.ac.uk/j.m.hutson/
>
>*****************************************************************************************************
>Wolfgang Jaeger Tel.: 780-492-5020
>Department of Chemistry FAX: 780-492-8131
>University of Alberta e-mail:
>[log in to unmask]
>Edmonton, AB Web:
>www.chem.ualberta.ca/~jaeger
>Canada T6G 2G2
>*****************************************************************************************************
>To join or leave the molecular-dynamics-news email list, go to:
>http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/molecular-dynamics-news.html
--
Aron Kuppermann
Professor of Chemical Physics
Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Phone: (626) 395-6507
Noyes Laboratory of Chemical Physics MS 127-72 FAX: (626) 795-1824
California Institute of Technology e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Pasadena, CA 91125
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