Discussion journal of the Mössbauer Community

[Frank Berry <f.j.berry AT open.ac.uk>]

Greetings Mossbauer Researchers,

I have just returned from the International Conference on the Applications 
of the Mossbauer Effect - Vienna, where I was asked to chair the Task 
Group on the Future of the Mossbauer Effect Data Center (MEDC). This was 
in response to the surprise announcement at the Conference from John 
Stevens, Director of MEDC, that while he was en- route to the Conference 
he had received an email from the University of North Carolina at 
Asheville, who has hosted MEDC for over 40 years, that they were taking 
immediate actions to close MEDC. Emergency meetings of the MEDC 
International Advisory Board and the International Board on the 
Applications of the Mossbauer Effect were held during the Conference. 
Actions from these two boards resulted in the formation of the Task Group 
for the Future of MEDC, and each Board has requested the University of 
North Carolina that MEDC should remain fully active with its current staff 
for one year. During this period, the Mossbauer community, through this 
Task Group, will explore and recommend actions on what MEDC will look like 
in the future and where it might be located.

If you wish, you can greatly support this effort by having your 
institution and/or research group and/or you as a Mossbauer researcher 
communicate to UNCA the need for MEDC to remain intact during a one- year 
transition period. If we are collectively successful in achieving a 
one-year planning period, the Task Group will be in contact with you for 
your views on MEDC's future.

Email communications should be sent directly to Chancellor Anne Ponder 
(aponder AT unca.edu), and Cc's to the following: Dr. Jane Fernandez, Provost 
and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, University of North Carolina at 
Asheville (jfernand AT unca.edu) Dr. Keith Krumpe, Dean of Natural Sciences, 
University of North Carolina at Asheville (kkrumpe AT unca.edu) Professor Dr. 
John Stevens, Director of the Mössbauer Effect Data Center 
(stevensjohng AT gmail.com) Professor Dr. Frank Berry, Chair of the Task 
Group on the Future of MEDC (F.J.Berry AT open.ac.uk)

Best Regards,
Frank Berry
Chair of the Task Group on the Future of MEDC