I found out today, 4 years after the fact, that my master’s adviser, Prof. Schmoltze, died. I can’t even begin to fathom this. He wasn’t old by any stretch, and his spirit was, well, younger than mine.

In fact, I don’t think I would have completed my grad work without him. Prof Schmoltze was always ready with a quick smile, a joke, an insight or an idea. He, more than anyone else, inspired me to concentrate on AI for my masters work. I barely knew him during my undergrad – but I do remember a few hallway and lab conversations with him. He cared.

Goodbye Jim.