The following address was given at Charlottetown by Philippe Rochette, who nominated Ray Desjardins for the CSAM Fellow Award.

Good evening Ray, Anne, everyone:

Ray, by nominating you Fellow of the Society, CSAM is recognizing the outstanding contributions that you made to agmet research on the national and international scenes. In the next few minutes, I would like to make a rapid tour of your accomplishments during the last 30 years.

Ray, like many other agrometeorologists has always been obsessed by measurements. The object of his obsession was and is still to measure the rate at which gas is exchanged between agricultural fields and the atmosphere. Among the different gases that transit between soil, plants and air, Ray has always had a preference for CO2. He was among the first who attempted to measure instantaneous rates of photosynthesis and respiration of entire crop canopies and how these processes influence yield. If we compare a growing season to a hockey game, traditional agronomists go to bed after the first face-off and read the final score the next morning in the newspaper while Ray wanted to watch the game play-by-play and see how every goal was scored. I believe that he also enjoyed the fights...

Ray did not only spend a lot of time and energy measuring CO2 fluxes, he also invented new techniques to improve his measurements. As a graduate student in Cornell, he conceived a novel way of quantifying gas exchange called the "Eddy Accumulation" technique. He showed mathematically that if you could sample air at a given height conditionally to its vertical direction and proportionally to its vertical velocity, all you would have to do is to measure the mean concentration of both pooled samples, feed that in a simple equation and obtain the mean flux over that period. While the technical difficulties in applying this theory have not been overcome yet, a simplified version of this technique is now commonly used in agmet research.

The second Ray's major contribution to the field of gas flux measurement was the development of a fast-response open-path infrared CO2/H2O sensor. This instrument is capable of measuring the air concentration in both gases up to 50 times per second without interfering with the air flow. Ray had this instrument working continuously for days and nights in the field before many others even thought it could be possibly built.

Until the late 70's, Ray had only used his instruments on tower-based measuring systems in agricultural fields. Then, he realized that the technology that he had developed could be used on another platform. Ray was the driving force behind the development of airborne flux observation by eddy correlation technique in Canada. There had been some early attempts in the US, in the late 70's, but around 1980, he contacted NRC's Flight Research Laboratory about possibly involving the Twin Otter aircraft, used at that time primarily for cloud physics studies. Out of the early initiatives, with collaboration of Ian MacPherson of NRC and Peter Schuepp of McGill University, came what is still the only such facility in Canada, and one of the leading facilities, worldwide. Actually, it is, in the opinion of many, the best one for low-level flux observations.

Ray's contributions here were (i) as 'visionary', who had the foresight to see the potential of this new technique, and (ii) through his vast expertise on instrument development and measurement techniques. He also has an incredible network of colleagues which collaborate with him, communicate with him or at least know of him, all over the world.

During the early years (1980 - 1986), emphasis was on airborne monitoring of CO2 exchange for improved yield prediction, with attempts to explore the potential to monitor hail damage through its reduction in photosynthesis, or forest productivity modification through draining, forest fire impact, etc. The pioneering aspects of those studies is underlined by the fact that the Twin Otter graced the cover of Science in 1982.

In subsequent years, applications focused more on land surface climatology in large-scale experiments like FIFE, BOREAS and GEWEX. However, largely through Ray's participation, agricultural applications were always included. For example, ozone uptake by agricultural crops was measured in the California Ozone Deposition Experiment (CODE) and a continuing effort is made to try to use the aircraft for the development and validation of regional models of greenhouse gas production from agricultural sources.

Ray has also been very supportive of graduate students in the area of airborne flux observations, ready with constructive advice and making himself available unstintingly. During the last 15 years, he has supervised 10 M. Sc. and 12 Ph. D. students.

Dr. Desjardins's qualities are not limited to the field of experimental research. During the last ten years, he has managed complex research programs involving many research teams across the country. Since the early 90's, he played a key role in the Canadian research efforts for assessing the contribution of agriculture to atmospheric and climatic changes. Recently, he co-authored an excellent publication "The Health of our Air"summarizing the results of these research activities.

I would not forgive myself if I omit mentioning the role that your wife, Anne, played at your side during your career. I have lost track of the number of scientists from all over the world who had the chance to stay at the Desjardins's home while visiting Ray's lab in Ottawa. Actually, Ray, I think that Anne's hospitality and fine cuisine was one of your secret weapons for attracting these visiting scientists.

Finally, Ray, I would like to add that it has been a privilege for me to work for 8 years in your lab. I have learned many things from you. First, I have witnessed that success is not only the result of great ideas but also of intensive work and long days and long weeks. Second, I have always been impressed by how you reacted to problems. Every time that your prototypes failed a test, you were never discouraged but rather took that hurdle as a challenge and came forward with potential solutions. Third, during all those years, you never lost your enthusiasm for research. I believe that part of your success came from this enthusiasm that you communicated to your teammates, giving them the momentum necessary to reach the goals.

Ray, I know that you don't like to look backward and prefer to focus ahead on new ideas and projects to initiate. It is clear to those who know you that this honour is not the end of the road, but just another milestone in a journey that is still far from destination.

Congratulations for a well-deserved honour

Charlottetown, August 10 1999

Presenting Ray Desjardins with his CSAM Fellow award are Claudia Wagner-Riddle and Philippe Rochette.