Roger Anthoine (1925-2015)

CERN was saddened to learn of the passing of Roger Anthoine on 26 October. Roger was the first person in charge of CERN’s public relations activities, including VIP visits and the Press Office. He launched the CERN Courier and the CERN Bulletin, and even invented the role of CERN official guide.

One of CERN’s earliest staff members, Roger first established the CERN Courier as CERN’s in-house magazine, and then, when the Courier became the de-facto international journal of high-energy physics, he established the Bulletin. It is a tribute to him that both of these publications remain central to life at CERN today. But it is not only in publications that Roger left his mark. As head of the public information office almost from the start, he established the spirit of openness and transparency that still guides CERN’s public communications to this day.

The Director-General has sent letters of condolence to his family. You can read more about Roger’s career and life in the recent Courier article that was published in April to celebrate his 90^th birthday. A full obituary will follow in the Bulletin and the Courier.