On Thursday, July 29th, TRIUMF staff gathered in the courtyard to celebrate Mark Stenning’s contributions to TRIUMF over the past 29 years.
A physicist, with a Masters in astronomy, Mark has been the Head of Cyclotron Operations since 1996.
Dr. Jean-Michel Poutissou, Associate Director and Head of the Science Division, mentioned Mark’s two science degrees and noted that this combination had proved invaluable to TRIUMF over the years. Not only did Mark understand cyclotron events, he also had an astronomer’s ability to make correct deductions from observations of anomalies. In his role of operations head, Mark understood the pressure experimenters were constantly under. He also understood the consequences of making wrong decisions and the need to take the time to assess a problem and make the best possible judgment call. “Indeed,” Dr. Poutissou remarked, “when Mark came to me for help with a problem, I knew that he had already screened out several possibilities.” Jean-Michel also suggested that perhaps Mark’s combination of skills had also contributed to his being the only TRUIMF staff person ever to have completed the West Coast Trail – twice!
Paul Schmor, Head of the Accelerator Division, thanked Mark for his total dedication to the cyclotron operation, his ability to organize the team of operators as well as link with the technical experts. He wished him well in the future and expressed the sentiment of all his colleagues in recognizing Mark as "a model employee who makes the difference.”
Along with his wife Pat, about 60 people turned out for the party in honour of Mark and present him with a small gift.
Mark expressed his thanks to his colleagues for the years spent at TRIUMF and his hope to stay in close contact with the TRIUMF family.