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“TRIBUTE TO DR. ROBERT ROSNER” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H5047-H5048 on April 30, 2009.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO DR. ROBERT ROSNER
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a man whose spirit and dedication to the world of science inspired him to give four decades, with more to come, of tireless service to the Nation as a scientist, teacher, mentor, administrator and leader.
This week Dr. Robert Rosner will step down as director of Argonne National Laboratory, a leading Department of Energy science laboratory located in my congressional district in Illinois. He plans to resume his career in research and teaching at the University of Chicago, where he is a world-renowned astrophysicist and the William Wrather Distinguished Service Professor in the university's Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics.
I have had the privilege to work closely with Dr. Rosner during, over the last 7 years during his tenure at Argonne, first when he was chief scientist and later when he became laboratory director. So I speak with personal knowledge and affection when I say that Bob has left an indelible stamp on Argonne, the quality of life in my district, the Department of Energy complex and the Nation.
There is no doubt that he has created a positive and lasting legacy, both nationally and internationally, and I would like to take this moment to pay tribute to his many achievements and to wish him well on his return to full-time university life.
Dr. Rosner's first significant interaction with Argonne came in 1992 when he led the collaboration between Argonne and the University of Chicago scientists who created the Center for Astrophysical Thermonuclear Flashes, which he directed from its founding in 1997.
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In 2002, he joined Argonne's directorate as chief scientist and associate laboratory director for physical, biological and computing science.
Since his appointment as director of Argonne in 2005, he has served as a valuable national leader and spokesman on science policy and the value of translational science, science that puts basic knowledge to practical use.
During his term as Argonne director, Bob has strengthened Argonne intellectually, organizationally and physically. He strengthened and organized the laboratory's core capacities to make them more responsive to the Department of Energy's needs and helped forge stronger links between Argonne, the University of Chicago and other universities, especially in the Midwest.
He was instrumental in founding the Energy Department's National Laboratory Directors Council and served as its first chair. He also has worked to launch a number of new research programs and facilities, including the Computation Institute, the Leadership Computing Facility, the Sub-Angstrom Microscopy and Microanalysis Facility, the Center for Nanoscale Materials, and the Theory and Computational Sciences Building.
He has also created an atmosphere of open communication. Notably, he established a two-way dialogue between employees and senior management by becoming the first Argonne director to answer all questions in regular, informal meetings with employees from across the lab.
Madam Speaker, Dr. Robert Rosner has contributed greatly to the Energy Department laboratory complex, my district, the State of Illinois and the Nation. His commitment and dedicated efforts as a public servant provide an inspiration to us all. I know his presence at Argonne will be greatly missed, but I am confident that his abundant energy and zeal for science will continue to do great things in the scientific and university communities for years to come.
Today, I congratulate Dr. Rosner on his accomplishments at Argonne and wish him success in his many future endeavors.
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