Dear Friends and Colleagues:

On behalf of the LSU Department of Physics and Astronomy, I have the pleasure of inviting you to a symposium to honor Bill Hamilton's career on the occasion of his retirement. It will be held on Tuesday, March 19, 2002, in Pleasant Hall on the Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge campus.

We are planning a day-long agenda, with scientific talks in the morning and afternoon, a catered lunch provided by our Department, and a "no-host" dinner in the evening at a restaurant near campus. Pleasant Hall has our conference and lunch areas, and has guest suites and rooms available for participants at reasonable prices.

Although I have only had the opportunity to work with Bill Hamilton for a few years, I am not surprised at the large number of people with whom he has had fruitful collaboration and friendship. I hope to have the pleasure of meeting many of you in March.

Tuesday, March 19, 2002 is the day before our regular Spring LIGO Scientific Collaboration meeting at the LIGO Livingston Observatory, so this meeting time should be convenient for LIGO Collaborators.

Please RSVP to Karen Richard either by telephone, fax or e-mail by Friday, March 1, 2002 - (225) 578-1194, (225) 578-5855-Fax, or karen@rouge.phys.lsu.edu.

Joe Giaime