It is with personal regret but warm wishes that the Department of Statistical Sciences announces the retirement of System Administrator and Lab Manager Dermot Whelan, effective April 30, 2021. After 33 years of dedicated service at U of T, Dermot’s retirement marks the end of an era. For 21 years, he has been an invaluable asset to our department. We have benefited greatly from his vast IT knowledge, strong work ethic and his helpful attitude.
Dermot was single-handedly responsible for the setup and management of research computing in our department. No small task, and an incredibly important one, as Dermot’s expertise and hard work optimizing our computing resources formed the basis for the research of our students and faculty.
A true “computer whisperer”, there isn’t a part or cooling system Dermot can’t miraculously fix with his trusty toolbox – and his knowledge isn’t just limited to hardware: his problem-solving skills span the gamut of operating systems and software.
Best of all, Dermot was always there to listen to requests and concerns and take whatever steps necessary to find a solution, no matter what time or day of the week a problem happened to arise.
Dermot’s retirement is our loss, but a well-deserved respite for him. We wish him all the best for this new exciting chapter in his life.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we sadly have to postpone an in-person farewell reception for Dermot. Following U of T guidelines, this event will take place at a later point in time, as we wouldn’t want to miss a chance to say our goodbyes and sing his praises.
(Many thanks to Jeff Rosenthal for his contributions to this announcement.)
The end of an era: Dermot Whelan retires after more than 30 years of service
April 6, 2021 by
Radu Craiu