Dear all,

As many of you have already found, I am installed and in business
in the chair's office.  I am very much looking forward to helping
the department increase its research stature and develop new 
educational opportunities for our students over the next three years.

I am sure that there are many aspects of your activities that
I don't know or appreciate fully, and very much hope that you
can spare a little time over the next month educating me on 
your research accomplishments and aspirations, your plans for
new educational initiatives -- and most importantly your views
on the directions the department should be moving in to improve
our academic programs and the operation of the department.
Drop by my office, phone (2-8067) or e-mail (pgrannis@sunysb.edu)!

There are a few items of recent news to note:

1)  The US Geologic Survey has approved the naming of
    the "de Zafra Ridge", a narrow but prominent 5 mile
    long ridge in the Cook Mountains of Antarctica.  This
    honor recognizes Bob's research accomplishments in 
    understanding the polar ozone hole.   I'm sure no
    others of us have had a geographic feature named for
    us!

2)  Ken Lanzetta held a press conference at NASA on Jan. 8
    to discuss the recent finding of his group indicating
    an unexpected burst of bright galaxy appearances/star 
    formation a few hundred million years after the big bang.
    The story featured in the NY Times, Washington Post,
    Chicago Tribune, CNN and in an NPR story.  The
    NASA story can be reached from 
	  http://oposite.stsci/pubinfo/pr/2002/02/pr.html

Congratulations Bob and Ken! 

If there are items of news involving Stony Brook faculty or
staff that give recognition to our department, please let me know!
We of course take pride in our accomplishments, and want also to
take every opportunity to let the rest of the university know of
them too.