During the Types 2011 meeting in Bergen, I went outside to have
fresh air in a coffee break. Then there was this guy, and we said
hello to each other without asking for names or formal
introductions. He apologized that he was trying to concentrate on
his talk to be given after the break. I nevertheless, perhaps
impolitely, asked what his talk was going to be about. It was
going to be about a homotopical model of type theory (this is
what he said, but in the talk the topic was size). Then I said I
was looking at topological models of type theory myself. He asked
me to explain, which I did. Then he gave his talk. And after that
we met again and had a long conversation, we went together in a
boat trip with the conference crowd, and then we had dinner in
the same table, with many discussions.

I never suspected, at that time, I was talking to a Fields
Medalist. He was just somebody giving an interesting talk in a
conference. After the meeting, when I was back home, he asked me,
by email, what the topology of the universe is, in the models I
was considering.

M.

On Sunday, 1 October 2017 05:25:36 UTC+1, Daniel R. Grayson wrote:
>
> Dear Colleagues,
>
> The following message from the director of the Institute for Advanced 
> Study in Princeton announces
> sad news:
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Sat, 30 Sep 2017 17:38:57 -0400 (EDT)
> From: Robbert Dijkgraaf
> Subject: Sad news
>
> Dear Colleagues,
>
> It is with a heavy heart that I write to share some very sad news. Our 
> dear colleague and friend, Vladimir Voevodsky, Professor in the School of 
> Mathematics, passed away unexpectedly this morning.
>
> Vladimir was a truly extraordinary mathematician and integral part of our 
> community. His death is a tremendous loss for the Institute and for the 
> world. We will all miss him dearly and extend our deepest condolences to 
> Vladimir’s family and his many colleagues and collaborators around the 
> world.
>
> We will soon be sharing more information about a gathering to celebrate 
> Vladimir’s life and legacy.
>
> Robbert
>