[cam-users] Jim McCaa is leaving NCAR

[Mathew Rothstein]

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Date: Tue, 9 Nov 2004 19:46:24 -0700
To: CAM Users E-mail list <cam-users at ucar.edu>
Subject: Jim McCaa is leaving NCAR
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I am sad to say that wednesday, the 10th of November will be Jim
McCaa's last day as liason for the atmospheric model working
group. Jim has been an incredible resource to the CCSM project, to the
AMWG, to the climate modeling section, to NCAR, and has been a
pleasure to work with.
 
This posting is a notification to you all of Jim's departure, and an
opportunity to thank Jim publicly for the two years that he devoted to
the project.
 
We at NCAR have known for a couple of weeks now, but I have been
trying to avoid letting the reality sink in.
 
Jim singlehandedly pushed through hundreds of runs during the
development of CAM3, for me and other modelers. He interacted
tirelessly with the AMWG community outside NCAR, and always acted as
their advocate to the insiders of CCSM. He helped in inumerable ways
in the scientific development of CAM, helping with scientific issues,
with software engineering issues, with interactions between
scientists, administrators, admin assistants, computer support staff,
members of other working groups, in helping to write and organize the
CAM3 web page and technical documentation, and other things I am sure
I have forgotten.
 
I know that I speak for the whole CCSM effort in saying that we will
miss him terribly.
 
Of course we all wish him (and his family) the best in his new
position. He will be working for a small Seattle research and
engineering firm.
 
It goes without saying that his departure will have an effect on the
whole project, and particularly on the AMWG.
 
Until he is replaced, we will be struggling in many ways to manage the
tasks he performed. It is clear that we will not be able to provide
the same level of support for the many tasks he performed without
hiring someone with his skills and energy, and at the moment it is not
clear how rapidly we will be able to replace him. Since all of us
within the NCAR CAM infrastructure are already committed to the hilt,
our ability to support the AMWG community will be severely comprimised
and you (unfortunately) may become aware of that fact.
 
I ask all of you for your understanding during this difficult time and
again want to thank Jim for his efforts on behalf of the AMWG
 
Regards, 
 
Phil Rasch

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