I met Shlomo while I was a PhD student in Berkeley and he was spending a year there working with Lynn Robertson. I have good memories of his time in Berkeley. At the time I was in charge of managing the lab's computer network. I remember Shlomo coming to find me to sort out something with his computer. He nicely but directly suggested how I could set up the network better. At first, this led me to think that that he might be difficult to work with. It didn't take long though for me to see that although he was driven and an extremely hard worker, Shlomo cared deeply about the people around him, was a genuinely sweet man, and wasn't afraid to show it. We got to know each other better over the coming year including some great conversations on ski lifts around Lake Tahoe. Just this past year we collaborated on a project and published our first paper together. I saw first hand how insightful and talented he was as a scientist. He made suggestions that really nailed down some of the points in the paper which, I believe, ultimately helped the paper sail through the review process.
Shlomo was a tireless worker and a perfectionist. He brought an energy, determination, and focus to his work that was unique and inspirational. I have benefited from his influence in ways that were never formally acknowledged as a mentor but have left their mark on what I think of when I imagine a great scientist. I most recently saw Shlomo in May 2012 in Florida for the Vision Sciences Society conference. He greeted me with a big smile and a hug, as friendly and warm as always. We talked about the past as well as the present. I know that he was so very happy to be back in Berkeley. It gives me some peace to know that he was living his life to the fullest in a place that he loved.
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