Dear colleagues,
It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Jean-Claude Romano, a CNRS researcher who spent his last years at COM and the DIMAR unit in Marseille, before ending his career in Corsica. Jean-Claude was a researcher with a passion for marine chemistry, who spent his entire career developing methods for observing the physical and chemical properties of the marine environment. I know that many of my colleagues at M I O had the opportunity to work with Jean-Claude Romano during their careers, and I would like to share some of their friendships with you.
Richard Sempéré
A few testimonials of friendship:
Charles François Boudouresque :
I got to know him better when I was director of UMR Dimar (with Mireille Harmelin). He was often verbose, but faithful, loyal and so full of ideas! Deeply involved in Corsica, I continued to see Jean-Claude after he left Marseille for Corsica, with Cathy Lugrezy. In particular, he worked with the Scientific Council of the Scandula Nature Reserve, of which I am chairman.
All the best. T'abbracciu e bon viaghju Jean-Claude! Carlu-Francè (Charles-François),
Nathaniel Bensoussan, Bouazza El Haikali and Walid Younes:
For all the students he trained and the doctoral students he guided, Jean-Claude Romano was a beacon, a benevolent scientific guide and a brainstormer. In an experience of social, cultural and scientific diversity, weaving bridges between the shores of our beautiful blue sea, this Mare communis as he liked to call it, and between disciplines. Knowing the past, observing the present to better predict the future - that was his motto, that was our credo. From studies of the surface micro-layer to long-term observation series based on 1D vertical strategies (SOMLIT - Bay of Marseille), horizontal strategies (SORCOM - influence of the Rhône) and temporal strategies (CAPCOM - multi-parameter high frequency), he was a visionary, the day-to-day architect of a laboratory and field science whose importance we are still measuring today. We will miss you, Jean-Claude. Peace to you and our thoughts are with your family.
Michel Lafont :
To put my meeting with JC ROMANO in context, when I joined COM in 1996, I was assigned part-time to the design and maintenance department. As part of this, I carried out maintenance and design work on the system for the continuous acquisition of physico-chemical parameters in the station's calanque. The CAPCOM programme began in 1994. With the installation of the SOLEMIO buoy in 2013 and the COAST-HF programme due to be accredited in 2019, I consider JC Romano to have been a visionary in taking HF measurements in the 1990s. Given our privileged relationship, I produced several prototypes following these guidelines because JC ROMANO was always looking for innovative solutions for measuring physico-chemical parameters with the aim of acquiring new knowledge in the functioning of marine ecosystems (in-situ incubator for measuring primary production, in-situ robot for measuring alkalinity). And I'm not talking about the setting up of several meteorological stations (Marine Station, Planier Lighthouse and on the Frioul Islands). In 2001, following a request for a change of posting, he took steps to have me integrated into the observation service, of which he was the manager and also one of the initiators. He was also one of the initiators of the innovative SOC-RHONE programme (radial between the Marseilles harbour and the Roustant buoy), which used continuous surface measurements and profiles to assess the impact of the RHONE plume on the marine environment in the harbour. After joining the observation service, I carried out several missions for this programme.
In the course of many discussions, I learned a lot because JC ROMANO knew how to pass on his knowledge.
I took part with him in several missions (Implementation of a chain of measurements and acquisitions of physical and chemical parameters during the CEDRE Programme (Lebanon), CYRCE Programme (Currents and Hydrology of the Bouches de Bonifacio).
In 2018, during a visit to Corsica, I met JC ROMANO, admittedly a little weakened, but still active in data processing and writing articles. Our last conversation was at the beginning of 2020.
Here's my journey with JC ROMANO.