I may be wrong, but I have not recently seen @whuber in the list of moderators.
I do not remember any GIS SE elections (maybe I have overlooked them) that took place in the previous quarter, so why is the user @whuber not a moderator anymore?
I find this person extremely intelligent and educated, and say honestly that I will miss his role on the GIS SE.
It is kind of you to notice and to ask.
I had not been very active here in the last four years or so and wore the moderator's diamond as a reminder of the past rather than as a tool to help the site. Moreover, I have enough reputation that when, on occasion, I have an opportunity to spend some time here, I can still do most of the things I used to. It was time to give up the diamond.
I hoped to set an example with my answers by showing there is more to GIS than programming (although that's obviously important): understanding the shape of the earth, what parts of it we can measure and model, and how we think about and analyze them are key to unlocking the power of GIS. If a few of those posts inspire people like you to contribute your ideas and help others, I will feel pleased and rewarded.
BTW, I am still involved in GIS through my connections with Directionsmag.com (which I edited for a year--it's a long story). If you're not familiar with that site, please check it out and feel free to let me know what you think.
I could not comment sooner without knowing whether @whuber wished to return their diamond quietly or accompanied by an announcement. Now that they have answered here I am comfortable to add an answer too.
@whuber's answers on this site are legendary for their detail and rigour so I hope we will continue to see new ones whenever suitable opportunities to continue leading by example arise.
Their role as a moderator since 2011 has been equally impressive and I will miss their wisdom in our moderator discussions where they could always be relied upon for respectful peer review and a deep knowledge of the mechanics of Stack Exchange sites.
