We are very saddened by the news that Professor Michael Wakelam, Director of Babraham Institute, has passed away. His loss is tragic for the research community and he will be deeply missed by the entire ORION Open Science team.
Professor Wakelam was an enthusiastic scientist and an inspirational director. He was an ardent supporter of science communication, public engagement and helped pioneer new ways of making research open to everybody. He brought people together which can be seen in the legacy of his work. We are especially thankful that he was a leader in the creation of the EU-LIFE alliance of European research institutes which embodies principles of openness and community that make science strong.
As a strong advocate for public engagement, back in 2014, he supported a public dialogue with citizens to discuss the relevance and impact of fundamental research in biology. That dialogue has been inspirational for the activities of the ORION project, and we are now trying to build on that experience and will continue our work following the example and the trail that he set.
Our warmest condolences go out to his family, colleagues and friends in this very sad moment.
