Shlomo was my first real mentor. He opened up the wonders of
the human brain to me, got me excited about the possibilities that Neuroscience
has to offer and that the research that we conduct has real value and can make
an important contribution.
Shlomo always made me feel extremely valued and capable. He
entrusted the management of his lab to me, consulted me on both scientific and managerial
issues, and had complete confidence in me – more than I had in myself, I must
say. I don’t think it is an exaggeration
to say that he played a major role in my transition into adulthood, by giving
me substantial responsibilities at a relatively early stage in my scientific
‘career’, greatly valuing my opinions and giving me an overall sense of my
significance.
As a mentor, Shlomo challenged me to challenge myself, to go
beyond the banal and seek a deeper scientific understanding. He gave the
opportunity to explore, to question and to learn, and ultimately to find my own
path. I know that I challenged him too – and more importantly, that he saw that
as something good. I think he valued being challenged by his own students and
saw it as a driving force, something that propels the scientific process
forward. I really valued the ‘academic freedom’ in the lab, Shlomo’s conviction
to let us – his students – explore uncharted territories, while providing
appropriate guidance, insight, infrastructure and tools for our success.
But beyond scientific excellence, Shlomo regarded human
relationships above all. His concern for the welfare of his students was always
his top priority, and we went to extreme lengths to ensure that everyone was
taken care of. Every potential new student or research assistant was evaluated
not only on intellectual merit, but also in how they would fit into – and
enrich - the social fabric of the lab. He created an atmosphere of cooperation,
volunteering and mutual support in the lab – values that I cherish and hope to
incorporate in all my work environments.
I know that Shlomo often judged his own success but the achievements
of his students, and he had high expectations and hopes for all of the PhDs he mentored.
He would often ‘paint’ the ideal picture of where he hoped each of us would end
up. And indeed, many of his disciples have continued to do amazing research in
prominent institutions around the world – a fact that gave him immense pride. I
just hope that in my modest career I will be able to live up to some of the
expectations I know he had for me (including getting our last paper together
published…. currently under review).
There are many more things to say… Mostly, I am so saddened
by the thought that I won’t see him again, and that he won’t be there to guide
and support me along the path that I started going down with him. But in many
ways, he will always be there with me, through all the things that I’ve learned and
soaked up from him over the years.
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