On Friday, 22nd March, EMBL Heidelberg hosted the annual alumni Retirees’ Afternoon, welcoming back a host of EMBL retirees and pensioners to mark 50 years of EMBL.

The hybrid event began with an informal meet-and-greet session where former colleagues reconnected and shared memories. Afterwards, online and in-person retirees spoke about what EMBL means to them, reflecting on the profound way in which their time at EMBL has shaped their personal and professional lives.

Sharing what EMBL means to him, Former EMBO Director Frank Gannon said: “You couldn’t be ordinary in the EMBL environment. It was – and still is – an outstanding laboratory in terms of quality, internationalism, lack of empire building, a turnover of young scientists and investing in the best in Europe.”

For others, their association with EMBL is strongly bound up with their personal lives. Former Research Technician Valerie Hungerford said: “I found my husband at EMBL Grenoble.”

Leo Burger, Head of the EMBL Heidelberg Mechanical Workshop from 1979-2023, said: “EMBL was always there in my life. The work was so interesting that time meant nothing – I would stay well into the night solving problems.”

EMBL’s first Librarian, Mary Holmes, looked back on EMBL as “the most important thing in my life, after my family”.

The afternoon continued with more informal discussions, allowing retirees to mingle, share updates and further reminisce about their time at EMBL against the inspiring backdrop of the EMBL Imaging Centre.

Below are some snapshots from the event, which capture the warm and vibrant spirit of the EMBL retiree community.

Next year’s annual Retirees’ Afternoon will take place on Friday 21 March 2025. Please mark your diaries!

In the meantime, bookmark the EMBL Alumni Events website and ensure your details are up to date in the Alumni Portal to stay up to date with further announcements.