Tellier Announces Retirement from LPI
September 4, 2008
After 29 years of service to USRA, Stephen Tellier has announced his retirement. Working at the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) for approximately three decades, Tellier is an expert in planetary science literature and how to find it.
“He always has a smile and a kind word to say. Stephen is eager to share his knowledge and experience of the library, and I could never understand how he can remember so much,” says library colleague Sandra Cherry.
Tellier came to the LPI with a teaching background rooted in the science lab. He spent several years as a biology teacher in the St. Louis area, developing and implementing an innovative open classroom concept with a self-paced science curriculum. Pursuit of advanced education and an interest in Futures Studies brought Tellier to the University of Houston–Clear Lake (UHCL).
The pursuit of his studies at UHCL led Tellier to the LPI’s library in August 1979. Recruited by LPI librarian Fran Waranius, his primary task was to identify, collect, and index more than 40 years of lunar science literature. The bibliography he created could be searched by title, author, and keywords — a cutting-edge research tool in the years before the advent of the universal access that today’s Internet provides. Long before the days of easy web access, Tellier handled search requests from scientists from all over the world. The bibliography, now part of the Astrophysics Data System (ADS), has added tremendous depth in the field of lunar science. As new interest in lunar exploration emerges, Tellier’s efforts to identify and index lunar science documents and materials provide a solid foundation for future lunar research.
Capitalizing on his extensive knowledge of lunar literature, Tellier devoted his time to preparing digital versions of imagery, cartography, and ancillary materials — many of which are now featured on the LPI website — and his attention to detail has been much appreciated by those who have used the data he spent years compiling.
Few people are aware that Stephen was a fencing team coach and avid practitioner of the martial arts, but most would not be surprised to hear of his interest in science fiction, old movies, and culinary arts. After September 10, Tellier will be able to pursue his passions and chart the next phase of his life. All his colleagues at USRA wish him well, and thank him for his decades of contribution to the Institute and the science community.
