From : José G. Funes, S.J. | ||
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Hello everyone, Probably you may have learned that I have been appointed new Director of the Vatican Observatory. At the time of the appointment, I was participating in the IAU General Assembly in Prague and George Coyne was taking a very well deserved vacation. I've talked to George on the phone and we both agreed that I would send a message making the "official announcement". Unfortunately, The Daily Mail has published an article entitled "Pope Sacks Astronomer Over Evolution Debate". This article is absolutely false. In May, after 28 years, George asked our superiors if they didn't think it was time for the Vatican Observatory to select a new director and they agreed to accept his resignation as well as appoint a new director. George will take a year's sabbatical in Raleigh, N.C., before rejoining the Vatican Observatory in September 2007. He continues to direct the Vatican Observatory Foundation. All the staff are most grateful to George for his years of inspired directorship. Personally, I am very happy that George Coyne will continue as President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation and that after the sabbatical year he will be back with the Vatican Observatory. We need George back. I am also quite pleased and happy with the full support that I have from all the staff, included George. The Vatican Observatory I "receive" is in very good shape. We enjoy being at Steward Observatory and I hope that we continue this very fruitful collaboration. Finally, I would like to say that we, at the Vatican Observatory, we try hard to keep up with the pace of the most recent astronomical developments. Since last week we now have two categories of directors: the giant, classic directors and the "dwarf" ones. George Coyne belongs to the first category and the current director - literally - belongs to the second one.
José Funes, S.J. | ||
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