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<body class='hmmessage'><div dir='ltr'><font size="3" style="font-size:12pt;" color="#000000">Dear GLIMS colleagues,</font><div><br><div><font size="3" style="font-size:12pt;" color="#000000">Effective today, I have stepped down as Director of the GLIMS initiative. Other changes are under development pursuant to the outcome of ongoing discussions that began last December at the Fall AGU meeting and continued last week at the GTN-G side meeting during IUGG in Prague. Among the changes discussed, Bruce Raup has taken a role as the Director of GLIMS pending final formalized agreement by the key core institution partners. As discussed and to be implemented pending final agreement, the Director role may rotate, possibly with a 2-year term, from NSIDC to WGMS then to a non-U.S., non-European institution. A GLIMS Executive Board, possibly of seven members, will be established. Aside from my stepping down, all these changes are pending final agreement, and the important details may change.</font></div><div><font size="3" style="font-size:12pt;" color="#000000"><br></font></div><div><font size="3" style="font-size:12pt;" color="#000000">As for my role, it will be defined, but I have intentions of remaining active in GLIMS, including as an ASTER Science Team member as I have served previously, and perhaps with new roles in the service of GLIMS.</font></div><div><font size="3" style="font-size:12pt;" color="#000000">With these changes I hope for a further invigorated initiative and development of a bright new agenda.</font></div><div><font size="3" style="font-size:12pt;" color="#000000">To all participants in GLIMS, I thank you for your longstanding collaboration, and I wish for you continued success in your work and great collaborations in GLIMS. As for me personally, if this change of leadership gives me slightly more time to undertake glacier research, I'll be very pleased. It has been a great pleasure to lead this initiative from its very earliest stage til now, during which time we have seen glacier analysis and applications research go beyond where anybody had initially even imagined would be possible-- thanks to you and our space agencies.</font></div><div><font size="3" style="font-size:12pt;" color="#000000"><br></font></div><div><font size="3" style="font-size:12pt;" color="#000000">Sincerely,</font></div><div><font size="3" style="font-size:12pt;" color="#000000">Jeff Kargel</font></div><div><font size="3" style="font-size:12pt;" color="#000000">Department of Hydrology & Water Resources</font></div><div><font size="3" style="font-size:12pt;" color="#000000">University of Arizona</font></div><div><font size="3" style="font-size:12pt;" color="#000000">Tucson, AZ 85721</font></div><div><font size="3" style="font-size:12pt;" color="#000000"><br></font></div><div><font size="3" style="font-size:12pt;" color="#000000">Email 1: kargel@hwr.arizona.edu</font></div><div><font size="3" style="font-size:12pt;" color="#000000">Email 2: jeffreyskargel@hotmail.com</font></div><div><font size="3" style="font-size:12pt;" color="#000000">Mobile: +1 520-780-7759 </font></div></div> </div></body>
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