The current issue of our Journal, edited by Christian Girault, is dedicated to Brazil. Following China, Brazil is the second country where our Alumni Association is setting up a local branch. This endeavour is part of our policy of reconnecting with scientists from abroad who have returned home after working in a research laboratory linked to the CNRS. We warmly encourage our members who are still in touch with Brazilian colleagues to invite them to join our Association and to disseminate this message among their fellow scientists.

Scientists from distant countries like China or Brazil cannot easily return home for long periods at a stretch. Members of our Association could invite them to their homes for a meal or an outing – and renew the invitation if there is mutual empathy – and enjoy exchanging views with people from another culture. The warm welcome our foreign visitors receive during their stay in France will induce them to maintain close ties with us when they return home.

Likewise, we wish to reconnect, and establish close ties, with former members of CNRS who are pursuing their careers in the business sector or in Government service.

The addresses of our regional representatives will shortly be posted on our Website. You are warmly encouraged to contact them and to suggest activities which our Association could undertake, be they sightseeing visits, trips abroad or « discovering science » initiatives for school children, as well as for Senior citizens.

Finally, on behalf of our Executive Committee, I wish to convey our warmest appreciation to Victor Scardigli for the impetus which he has given to our Journal and the quality it has achieved under his stewardship. We are sorry he is leaving, while fully understanding that he wishes to stand down after years of dedicated and effective work. We are grateful to Fabrice Bonardi who is taking over as Editor as from the next issue and assure him of out fullest support.


Michel PETIT
President, CNRS Alumni Association