IRIS President Announces Retirement

After five and a half years as President of IRIS, I am announcing my retirement which will be effective next Summer. I have discussed my retirement plans with the IRIS Board of Directors and they will be establishing a Search Committee this Fall to begin the recruitment process. I will continue to lead IRIS while the Board recruits a new President, and I hope to work with my successor during their first few months in this position to ensure a smooth transition in leadership.

It has been a great privilege to serve as President of IRIS and have the opportunity of working with IRIS’ very dedicated and professional staff as well as the engaged and talented members of the IRIS Consortium. I am most grateful for the strong support you have given me during my tenure. This change occurs as the EarthScope program is ending and we are completing the first year of our new five-year Cooperative Agreement with NSF, having successfully navigated IRIS’ first competitive renewal. It is thus an opportune time for new IRIS leadership to work with the IRIS community to develop a vision for IRIS beyond 2023, including identifying emerging new scientific opportunities and facility needs, considering new management models for EAR’s geophysical facilities, and sustaining the community-governed, shared-use facility model IRIS has developed and used so successfully over the past 35 years.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this leadership transition, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at detrick@iris.edu or contact Board chair Doug Wiens at doug@wustl.edu.

Bob Detrick