Department News

We regretfully forward the sad news of the death of LPL staffer and Boynton team member Gerard Droege. Jerry's colleague and friend, Bill Boynton, remembers Jerry:

"Jerry was an amazing man. He came to LPL in 2006 after retiring from his medical practice and joined my group as a NASA Space Grant Intern. He worked on the Phoenix TEGA instrument and later worked on data analysis of the Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector, a Russian made high spatial resolution neutron detector on LRO.

"Jerry had nearly 20 years practicing as an OB/GYN before he decided to go back to school to learn a new field. He loved his job here even if he had to put with my regularly introducing him as my gynecologist.

"Jerry was an avid sailor (lived on a sailboat while practicing in San Diego), hiker (conquering Aconcagua), and juggler. He even has a certificate from Guinness Book of World Records for the `Most Prepositions at the End of a Sentence.' He will be missed greatly by all who knew him."

Joe Giacalone

Professor Joe Giacalone has been named Assistant Department Head for the Department of Planetary Sciences. As Assistant Head, he oversees academics and student affairs, including admissions and curriculum, for the Department of Planetary Sciences. An expert in solar and heliospheric physics, Joe has been with LPL since starting as a postdoctoral research associate in 1993. More information about Joe is available from Joe Giacalone's faculty profile.