Séminaire Lotharingien de Combinatoire, B60pref (2008), 1 p.

Christian Krattenthaler

Preface

The 60th Meeting of the Séminaire Lotharingien de Combinatoire took place from March 30 to April 2, 2008, in the Bundesinstitut für Erwachsenenbildung in Strobl (Austria). This was the first time that the Séminaire met in this gorgeous scenery of the Wolfgangsee and its surrounding mountains. As Dominique Foata pointed out to the surprised participants, Strobl is famous as the "village of the three kings." (Here is the explanation; of course, totally unknown to the locals ...)

At beginning of the meeting, Volker Strehl gave us an hommage of our dear Lotharingien Pierre LEROUX (1942-2008), who had attended numerous meetings of the Séminaire Lotharingien de Combinatoire, and who had also planned to attend this one, which however was made impossible by his untimely death on March 9, 2008. Volker Strehl reminded us of Pierre's enthousiasm for mathematics, canooing, skiing, nature, and how he has thus been a source of energy for all of us, not at least by his extremely encouraging character. Subsequently, Gérard Duchamp read a passionate poem written by Xavier Viennot, which was followed by moments of silence.

Subsequently, the participants enjoyed a rich scientific program, inspiring discussions, and placid evenings in the bar area of the Erwachseneninstitut.

The series of main lectures was given by

Mihai CIUCU "Random tilings with gaps and electrostatics."

Unfortunately, Anders BJÖRNER, who was supposed to give the second series of main lectures, had to cancel in the last moment because of a serious influenza. I must, in the name of all participants, thank particularly Dominique FOATA, Ron KING and Peter PAULE, who stepped in at very short notice, and gave us extremely interesting and beautiful one hour lectures.