A Sketch Says a Thousand Words
Celebrating Principal Mechanical Engineer Gabriel Pérez’s 50 Years of Service at NSF NOIRLab
18 Dec. 2024
After 50 years at NSF NOIRLab, Gabriel Pérez is moving on to the next chapter of his life: retirement. His career at NOIRLab began in 1974 when he was hired as a mechanical engineer for the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), a Program of NSF NOIRLab. At this time, construction of the Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope was underway. Gabriel oversaw the installation of its primary mirror, as well as the design and implementation of the mirror’s support system and the observatory ventilation doors. He also led the design and construction of several optical and infrared instruments.
After 25 years at CTIO, he moved on to the International Gemini Observatory, funded in part by the NSF and operated by NSF NOIRLab. He spent several months in Hilo, Hawaiʻi supporting the installation and commissioning of the Gemini North telescope’s primary mirror support system. At Gemini South, located on Cerro Pachón in Chile, he led the design of many projects, including the primary mirror wash cart, mechanical drives for the Flamingos 2 instrument, and torque arms for the dome shutter drives.
Pérez is happily married and the father of a son and two daughters. He enjoys spending time with his 11-year-old granddaughter. He commutes by bicycle every day to his La Serena office, and also flies a hang glider.
In honor of Pérez’s 50 years of service to NSF NOIRLab, we asked some of his colleagues to share their reflections on his work and the impact he had on their careers.
Michiel Van Der Hoeven, Engineering Services Director
Q. When did you first meet Gabriel and under what circumstances?
A. I had the pleasure of working with Gabriel at Gemini South, when I started as head of engineering in 2014. He has a meticulous approach to any task, from providing careful attention to Flamingos 2, repairing or adjusting the power conversion system, or learning the latest mechanical design tools such as AutoDesk Inventor and more recently Solidworks.
Q. How did Gabriel impact your career and/or research?
A. I admire Gabriel for his work ethic. He is extremely dedicated, a great mentor for the junior staff, and a positive example when it comes to documenting procedures. But above all else, Gabriel has a warm personality and creates a positive work environment.
Q. What lessons did you learn from Gabriel that you wish to share with the community?
A. Take the time to document what you have done before moving on to the next assignment/project.
Q. What is your most pleasant memory of Gabriel during his time at NOIRLab?
A. Working together to fix problems during the annual telescope shutdowns, having fun together, driving to Cerro Pachón during snowstorms, asados at Casa 8, his excellent dancing skills during the dieciocho party in the Recinto, and him riding his horse in Pisco Elqui.
Pablo Díaz, Telescope Manager
Q. When did you first meet Gabriel and under what circumstances?
A. I met Gabriel in 2000 during the Gemini telescope commissioning. He participated in my interviews. My first impression was that he looked like an old engineering teacher or an engineer from a 1960s engineering book, with a pencil pocket pouch in his shirt. But he had not just one type of pencil — he had several pencils, carbons, ballpoint pens, etc. During the interview, he presented his questions in very articulated English, with exact pronunciation and use of words. I came from the mining industry, and my English was only good enough to survive. I was able to follow his conversation with no problems, and it was a good interview.
Q. How did Gabriel impact your career and/or research?
A. Gabriel was my supervisor for several years at the beginning of my career at Gemini. He is a good mentor and leader, and always available to help you with good advice. Gabriel is a methodical mechanical engineer. He solves problems following a systematic process, never taking shortcuts or assuming things that we have not checked.
He always let me find my own solution to engineering problems. After solving something, I brought him my drawings, and he picked up his red pencil and started to make notes. I had to go back to the design process. You have to be sure that you have a thorough design before presenting it — it’s a masterclass on doing a good design job.
I have never seen Gabriel declare a job done before writing a report and sharing it with the stakeholders. If you ask him for information, he will reply to you with a report. He also owns his mistakes — if something goes wrong, he is the first person to declare what happened and take responsibility.
Q. What lessons did you learn from Gabriel that you wish to share with the community?
A. Talking with sketches. Gabriel makes hand sketches for everything — not only freehand sketches, but with axis lines and ISO perspective projection. If someone needs an explanation he starts with his drawing to explain the operation of any given mechanical system. Everyone enjoys his clear explanations.
Q. What is your most pleasant memory of Gabriel during his time at NOIRLab?
A. Gabriel is a great mechanical engineer, but most importantly he is a good friend and kind man, always open to talking, sharing his experiences, and teaching what he has learned during his long career. We are going to miss working with him.
Fredrik T. Rantakyrö, Associate Director for Gemini Chile Operations
Q. When did you first meet Gabriel and under what circumstances?
A. I met Gabriel when I first started at Gemini about 15 years ago. I remember seeing him take apart a non-functioning Flamingos 2, all the way down to its smallest components. He then reassembled it and it worked perfectly afterward.
Q. How did Gabriel impact your career and/or research?
A. Beyond his professional knowledge, which Gabriel is excellent at sharing, he demonstrates the importance of maintaining a positive demeanor and taking the time to listen, even under stressful conditions.
Q. What lessons did you learn from Gabriel that you wish to share with the community?
A. Take the time to listen carefully to what the other person is saying. When explaining, be clear, and ensure they understand by staying attentive to their responses throughout the conversation. Even when going through a time crunch, take your time.
Q. What is your most pleasant memory of Gabriel during his time at NOIRLab?
A. When I had questions about viewing the mirror cell and the connectors that keep the M1 mirror aligned, I stopped by Gabriel's office. He was incredibly willing to explain the system's functionality in detail, taking the time to clarify concepts with both words and visuals in a relaxed manner. This approach helped me understand the complexities of the mirror support system. Outside of work, a memorable moment was seeing Gabriel dancing the Cueca at the Chilean National Holiday celebrations.
Scott Dahm, Gemini Deputy Director
Q. When did you first meet Gabriel and under what circumstances?
A. I met Gabriel in January 2023 during my first visit to Cerro Pachón as the new Gemini Deputy Director. On this visit Gabriel walked me through the primary mirror recoating process, which we were preparing for at Gemini North. His in-depth knowledge of every aspect of the mirror coating process was immediately apparent.
Q. What is your most pleasant memory of Gabriel during his time at NOIRLab?
A. Watching Gabriel help lead the Engineering Operations team during the Gemini South shutdown and primary mirror recoating in October 2023 was an extraordinary experience. His leadership was critical to the success of this complex process, and his knowledge of the mechanical systems of the telescope is clearly unparalleled. His leadership style ensured that everyone involved in the process could ask questions, allowing him to address their concerns before moving forward.
