Re: Marek Zawadowski

[Chris Kapulkin <k.kapulkin@gmail.com>]

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Dear all,

I was absolutely devastated to learn about Marek's passing two days ago. 
I benefited immensely from his kindness, patience, and generosity, 
certainly more than would be my fair share. He has been a profound 
influence in my life, having shaped both who I am as a mathematician and 
as a person. I looked up to him for guidance on how to be a good 
researcher, an engaging teacher, and a generous supervisor.

As any of the thousands of students he taught would tell you, Marek's 
signature was his real life analogies for even the most abstract 
mathematical concepts, many of which I have since adopted in my 
teaching. In a first year introduction to proofs course, he would 
explain how the operation of taking the image preserves unions because 
it has a "right friend." He was always funny in what seemed to be an 
effortless way.

Although our mathematical paths diverged in recent years, we stayed in 
touch and he would invite me over whenever I was able to visit Europe. 
The two of us would spend hours in his apartment in Warsaw discussing 
pretty much any imaginable topic from the historical development of 
categorical logic to Canadian politics (which, as I learned from him, is 
far more interesting than it seems!).

Marek's premature death is a great loss: of an outstanding mathematician 
and simply a force for good in the world. He will be missed.

Best,
Chris

On 2024-03-05 7:57 p.m., Ryszard Paweł Kostecki wrote:
> With a great sadness and a feeling of a heartbreaking premature loss I
> let the categorical community know that Marek Zawadowski has passed away
> on Sunday, 3 March 2024.
> 
> The funeral will take place in Warszawa, on Monday, 11 March 2024.
> (More detailed information is available here:
> https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/fVcnCP7L1NfYqQYJTzZxO5?domain=klepsydry.kupamieci.pl) 
> <https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/qS0rCQnM1WfGm7GJsP5TmU?domain=klepsydry.kupamieci.pl>.
> 
> I will miss very much his kind presence, sense of humour, and approach
> to many things -- in research, and in life. And I will always remain
> grateful for his mentorship, which has opened my mind to mathematics.
> 
> Here is a photo of Marek from 87th PSSL at Patras (in April 2008):
> https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/2R_5CRONg6s98N9yuP3bIV?domain=fuw.edu.pl 
> <https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/2R_5CRONg6s98N9yuP3bIV?domain=fuw.edu.pl>
> and a photo of him, walking the path with André Joyal:
> https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/LCAtCVARmOHr1MrzTJeNBT?domain=fuw.edu.pl 
> <https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/LCAtCVARmOHr1MrzTJeNBT?domain=fuw.edu.pl>
> 
> Ryszard Kostecki
> 
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