2010-01-18

Sam Roweis

My collaborator of ten years—and friend of twenty-five years—Sam Roweis died on 2010 January 12 in New York City. Anyone who has even glanced at this blog will know that he was involved in almost everything I have been thinking about scientifically. What you might not know is that Roweis also was an absolutely wonderful friend to me.

It was working with Roweis that made me formulate the following principle: All scientific projects are interesting. So choose not what you want to work on, but rather who you want to work with.

It has been my greatest privilege to work with people I love, and—above all—Sam Roweis.

[I think this post violates the rules.]

3 comments:

  1. My condolences. Never knew him personally, but admired what I came in contact of his work.

    Hope you're fine.

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  2. So sad. Sam was a great guy and quite brilliant to boot. I'm really sorry for your loss.

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  3. I went to Uni (eng sci) with Sam and we lived across the hall from eachother. A great friend. I remember piling into his house for quiet parties, conversations at the rec center, and great chats over dinner at our uni residence. Sam was the one that dragged me out to rowing at 4AM in the morning ... a sport I still do to this day. He was one of the most brilliant people I ever knew. Though I haven't heard his name for years, but I often wondered what he was up to, and then my heart jumped in disbelief when his name was specifically mentioned in an online lecture at Stanford (http://youtu.be/UzxYlbK2c7E?#t=1h1m40s) ... but then the first google search lead to this blog. I am saddened to tears, but I'm glad to have found out (thanks for the blog). My sincere condolences his you and all his friends and family. I'm really saddened by his passing. The world's truely poorer place for this loss.

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