Fond Memories from Argentinian Interactions

by Leonardo Erijman and Elizabeth Jares-Erijman

“The Professor” Gregorio Weber had a profound impact in our life. He taught us by the example to love science and knowledge, to trust collaborators, to respect peers, to be generous in the sharing of ideas and experience, and the value of modesty.

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It comes often to my memory (LE) one particular Saturday afternoon in late 1989, that we had lunch at the Illini Union with Enrico Gratton. We were (in fact they were) having a discussion; I believe it was over phase and modulation techniques (it would be called brainstorming these days). As we were walking back to the lab, Gregorio mentioned, as if for himself: “you always learn something when talking to Enrico”. With all his wisdom and cleverness, that remark struck me as notably humble.

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After spending more than 3 years in Urbana, we were ready to start our independent research careers in our native Argentina. Then Gregorio suggested that we would benefit if we went first to Europe to acquire further research experience in an appreciably different scientific environment. We followed his advise, thus owing him much for our enjoyable experience at the Max Planck Institute in Göttingen, which was later continued by enduring relationships. Incidentally, his prediction: “you will not love Germany, but you will like it” has fulfilled rather accurately, at least for one of us (the other one actually loved it!).

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A few years later, when we asked Gregorio a letter of recommendation, which we needed to apply for jobs in Argentina, he wrote us a very emotional and encouraging personal letter supporting our decision to go back home. We interpreted his thoughts as a sort of life balance, in which he put much weight on human relationships over today’s comfort-driven societies.