The loss of such a warm person and extraordinarily talented scientist is truly shocking. Simon has enriched all our lives. His company always brought instant delight- both by his cheerful nature and his engaging intellect. A light has gone out int he world. Bassem, UCSF.
This is really terrible news and I am very very sad to get it. What an enormous and irreparable loss for his family, for friends and colleagues at Davis and elsewhere, and for the international plant science community. Simon’s generosity of spirit, passion for science, and his enthusiasm for everything he did were infectious and its very hard to accept that someone of his abilities and such a promising future has been lost in so untimely a manner. My deepest condolences to his family and to his friends and colleagues at the Department of Biology at Davis.
This is a terrible loss, to Simon's family, friends and colleagues and to the entire Plant Science community. Simon had such a strong sense of fun, even in the context of serious science, that he made debate and discussion a real pleasure. He was inspirational, and his greatest legacy will be to continue to inspire those that knew him for years to come.
My thoughts are with Simon's family and everyone at UCD.
This is shocking news, and I am really sorry that such a talented thinker and experimentalist has passed away. I only had the privilege to meet and talk to Simon at PAG in 2011, and was incredibly impressed by his insightful understanding and thoughts. His contribution will live on through his brilliant centromere papers.
I send sincere condolences to his family and colleagues. Pat Heslop-Harrison
Simon Chan was one of the most talented, honest, and kind individuals that I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Simon spent several years in my laboratory as a postdoctoral fellow and he left his mark on our lab and our lives. He was also one of the most promising young plant biologists of this generation, and his achievements have made us all so proud. I feel honored to have had the time with him that I was blessed with. His loss is devastating on so many levels. To Simon’s family, I am so sorry for your loss, and please know that your son was loved by all who knew him. Steve Jacobsen
Simon is gone, it is hard to really understand. Once with us, once here with his strong opinions, his lightning-fast thinking, his massive knowledge, his constant pledge for intellectual stimulation, his laughter, his musicality. We were back-to-back postdocs in his first year in Steve's lab. He outnumbered me at all levels there, and I always new that I could only be better by studying the greats. And I have been studying Simon, because he is one of the greats. Like he picked up the licks of Charlie Parker, I picked up the licks of Simon. He was an inspiration for everyone with ambitions to accomplish and enjoy the good things in life. There are plenty to do out there, and he showed us that it is possible if you just work on it. I will continue to study Simon, for I have still lots to learn from him. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.
On behalf of the leadership, membership, journals, and staff of the American Society of Plant Biologists, I am writing to convey our deep sense of shock and sadness at the tragedy of Simon’s untimely passing. As indicated by Simon’s many awards and achievements (including, in 2006, the ASPB Early Career Award and, more recently, his appointment as an HHMI/GBMF investigator), Simon was a rising star in plant biology; his spark, his enthusiasm, and his capabilities will be sorely missed by us all.
I only met Simon two or three times in person, and never worked closely with him. But he left a lasting impression on me. He was one of the most instantly likeable people I've ever met...infectious enthusiasm for life, for knowledge, for science. And incredibly generous with his time and energy. He personified all that is good about science, and it is a huge loss to the world.
I am deeply saddened for the untimely passing of Simon. While I only met him a couple of times, I have been a big fan of his work. As his work, personality, and attitude towards science inspired many young scientists during his short life, I am certain that his beautiful series of publications and lectures available online will continue to inspire many more students and scientists in years to come.
This is terrible news. I'm deeply shocked. I had the pleasure of working closely with Simon when I was a graduate student at the Salk Institute and collaborating with the Jacobsen lab. I can honestly say every single scientific discussion with Simon was mind-blowing. Science apart, Simon as a person was a pleasure to know. I will always remember his energy, enthusiasm, generosity (he hosted me numerous times during my trips to LA), and his love of trying something new (especially good cuisine). Its a huge loss. My deepest condolences to his family. Ambika Sundaresan
I'm really sad to hear the news and wish all Simon's family and friends my deepest sympathies. I was always impressed with Simon and thought his intellectual energy was such a treasure to the scientific community and a model for young plant scientists. I'm sure his work will live on through his papers and the people he trained.
My colleagues and I at the Plant Genome Program were deeply saddened by the news of Simon's death. Simon was a brilliant scientist, passionate about his work, and committed to making a difference. Simon shared himself generously - always giving well-prepared and well thought-out presentations, and never hesitating to speak up at meetings. One of the things that made Simon special was that refreshing, child-like quality about him. In his short life, he had achieved so much. The scientific community and the world has lost not only a gifted scientist but a wonderful human being.
This is such sad news. It is like the breath has gone out of plant sciences this week-- Simon was such a bundle of energy, ideas, enthusiasm and an exciting champion for science. It will be a long time before we get over this loss. My sympathy to his family, colleagues and friends.
It is sad beyond sad that Simon is gone. He meant so much to everyone around him. It is overwhelmingly heartbreaking. Seeing such an outpouring of love for him and support for his family is amazing. I will always remember his goofy sense of humor, his enthusiasm, and his wonderful presence. He was a brilliant scientist, a fantastic teacher, an amazing advisor, and truly changed my life. He will be missed in every area of his influence.
Still can't believe that Simon is no longer with us! He was such an inspiration to Plant Scientists at UC Davis and beyond! He will be missed tremendously by everyone.
I will miss Simon so much. He was not only a brilliant scientist but also a kind, generous, and wonderful person. I think what made him so special was his boundless enthusiasm. For science, of course, but also for (good) tacos, for bicycle components, for jazz, for off-beat cookbooks . . . I could make a very long list. He leaves a big hole in our lives.
I met Simon though the doubled haploid work supported by the Gates Foundation. I knew of his reputation as innovative and brilliant. I was surprised to learn how unusually gracious and generous he was. What a patient and kind and caring and generous presentation he made! I am praying for him and his family and friends. We never know when we will be called. I hope that others can continue his work and use his innovative approach to dihaploids to benefit smallholder farmers in poor countries.
I first heard of Simon back in in 2005 when he was interviewing at UC Davis for a faculty position. He was one of many interviewed but he had obviously greatly impressed a colleague who said to me, with eyes shining, ‘we HAVE to hire Simon!’ I asked her why (and expected to hear about his great scientific achievements, of what a great colleague he would be, etc.) Unexpectedly, she said ‘ because he plays the ukulele!’
I first met Simon in mid-2006, soon after he started at UCD. I had just organized my first Arabidopsis conference, which had had a fairly dismal turnout. I went around and asked the plant biology faculty why they hadn’t gone to the meeting, and what could make it better in the future. I hadn’t gotten many helpful responses; then I asked Simon and had a great 20-minute discussion that made up for all the rest. He suggested that instead of doing what ‘usual conferences do’, where the session chairs are all established professors who have been to many meeting, why didn’t we invite early career researchers to be the chairs. He pointed out that this would be a great opportunity to give exposure, on an international stage, to those that could really benefit. Also, he told me, with his signature sweet smile, ‘they will have really great stories to tell.’ I thought this was an awesome idea- and right in line with what the Arabidopsis conference strives for- and incorporated this into the next meetings held in North America.
I’m proud to say that Simon agreed to chair a session at the Arabidopsis conference last summer in Madison, where he shared his brilliant and ground-breaking research on plant-breeding and genetic inheritance. Cheers to Simon Chan and a life well-lived! -Joanna Friesner
The first time I met Simon at UC Davis when I was applying to be the technician in his brand new lab. I will never forget the surprise I felt in our first meeting, the same surprise I saw on many people’s faces when they first met him. His awesome 80`s hair, Maori shirt, baggy jeans, converse shoes, and gorgeous grin defied every expectation that you had of who you thought ‘Dr. Chan’ would be. And then he spoke with his adorable bubbly New Zealand accent and you knew that you had a lot to learn about Simon. I was Simon’s first employee in the lab and I had the honor to spend a year of my time learning from him and enjoying his amazing personality. He was the kind of guy that you would work 12 hours for because you wanted him to be proud of you and you wanted him to succeed. When I came into Simon’s lab I was a chemical ecologist who didn’t like molecular biology very much. Simon made me fall in love with molecular biology and changed my career forever. There is no one that will ever fill those converse shoes, but in my own small way I will work hard to honor him and keep his light burning in whatever way I can. He will continue to inspire me to push harder and he will continue to make me believe in myself. I have a head full of memories of Simon but I will quickly just give you these 4 small stories: 1) Simon loved to celebrate the smallest of day-to-day victories in the lab. He always wanted to go out to get ice cream or lunch or dinner if we were really lucky. I think I gained 10 pounds that year eating ice cream with Simon. 2) Simon fell asleep during every single meeting, talk or seminar that I ever saw him attend. His head would comically bob until he woke himself up and immediately asked the most insightful question you ever heard. It was amazing. 3) Simon convinced me to learn how to play the ukulele so that I could learn to play my favorite Bob Dylan songs and when I left the lab for grad school he gave me an original Smurf Ukulele that he found on the internet and knew I would love. 4) The last time I ever saw Simon was on one of my proudest days. I got to give my first big science talk at a big meeting in Madison last summer. Simon came and found me near the stage and gave me a big hug. Simon and my PhD advisor Jennifer sat next to each other in the front row. I will cherish the feeling I had as I saw him beaming up at me with pride. He made me feel like a superstar that day. His family should feel so proud of Simon. He touched a lot of lives and lived a lot of life in his far too short a number of years. I am so sorry for your loss and I will carry Simon with me forever. Jodi Stewart Lilley
Simon Chan: such a rare constellation of qualities: smart, witty, gregarious, generous, humble, positive, creative, inspiring, manically enthusiastic, capable and so very sharp minded! His signature look – the spiky hair, glasses, Hawaiian shirt and cheeky smile instantly conjure up his image – and his warm personality mean that we will never forget Simon.
Simon was in typical form at a the meiosis conference this summer, humbly proclaiming himself an imposter in the field, touching everyone with his charm and intellect, sleeping two minutes before his talk and then delivering a lively, witty and absolutely riveting presentation.
Clearly “a chip off the old block” – Avril, Robert and Caron, I see Simon’s wonderful personality in you all. You have my deepest sympathy. We will all miss him so much and will think of you when we do.
I am so sorry for the loss of Simon, and send heartfelt condolences to Simon's family, friends, students and many colleagues at UC Davis and across the world. I was privileged to meet Simon through his engagement with the collaboration between NSF and the Gates Foundation for "Basic Research to Enable Agricultural Development (BREAD)". Simon personified what we'd hoped would happen through BREAD: find U.S.-based scientists with brilliant ideas of potential value to farmers in developing countries, and support their international research partnerships with a view to long-term impact on the poorest smallholder farming families. Simon saw that his basic research results on chromosomes in Arabidopsis could be really useful in breeding cassava and banana. He threw himself into an international collaboration whole-heartedly, engaging with his characteristic generosity, enthusiasm, hunger to learn, lobbying savvy, and humor. We asked him and his project partners based in Colombia and Tanzania to present their plans for “Fast breeding for slow crops” to Bill Gates during the BREAD meeting in Seattle a year ago; Simon showed up in jeans and a Public Library of Science (PLoS) t-shirt, probably best described as “wrinkled”, because he wanted to get a photo alongside Bill with the PLoS logo, advertising his commitment to free and open scientific publications (although in the best photo we got, both Bill and Simon are pointing animatedly at the project poster, so the PLoS logo is obscured…..). We met again in Uganda this summer, his first trip to Africa, where I bumped into him just after he arrived at the conference site, bubbling with enthusiasm to have seen cassava and banana in farmers’ fields on the drive from the airport, and looking forward to meeting project partners, local scientists, farmers, and students.
Simon’s loss is heart-breaking: so much joy and potential snuffed out too soon. And yet we are grateful for a life lived fully and for the contributions he had time to make. We hope for a lasting legacy with his colleagues in seeing his work reach farmers with better crop varieties. Thanks to Simon’s family for sharing him with the world, and please know that many of us share your grief.
Kathy Kahn Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Agricultural Development program
I am shocked and deeply saddened by the passing of Simon. It seems just like yesterday that we had lunch together in his favorite Chinese restaurant in downtown Davis. I first met Simon at the Arabidopsis meeting in 2006, when he was just starting up his lab at UCD. He struck me as someone who was very friendly, outgoing, and sincere. In the following years, we met on several occasions and chatted just about everything, from science, how to get grant, to history. Last year (2011) I spent six months in his department at UCD for my sabbatical leave, and had many more interactions with him at scientific and personal levels. I have watched him blossom in the plant community, being promoted to associate professor, and most importantly, becoming the youngest recipient among the 15 prominent plant scientists for the prestigious HHMI-GBMF award. Although he told me modestly that he was just being so lucky, I knew how brilliant his work was. As Bill (Lucas) put it: Simon had the potential to receive the Nobel Prize. He was so enthusiastic about science and life, and his enthusiasm was infectious. He was so healthy, energetic, and in my eyes was a semi-professional cyclist. This is why this news came so shockingly. My heart goes to his parents, sister, and colleagues in the department and his lab. I am proud to have had him as a friend.
All of us at the Genetics Society of America are extremely saddened to learn of the untimely passing of Simon Chan. A rising star in his field, Simon was an energetic researcher, a dedicated educator, and a committed mentor. Our deepest condolence to Simon's family, friends, and colleagues.
I was shocked by the passing of Dr. Simon. I met him once when he brought us a wonderful seminar in Singapore. I feel him as a very sunshine guy excluding his researcher nature. He will be missed by everyone!
Simon was one of the first people I met when I joined Steve's lab at UCLA and immediately I was charmed - he was one of the kindest, most genuine and most brilliant people I have ever known. Simon took me on so many restaurant adventures to the farthest corners of Los Angeles, talking continually - he was always searching for new things and new experiences, always analyzing. In science he was completely irrepressible and always striving with so much energy and curiosity. I saw him last year when he visited the UK. He was so focused and so clearly thriving on his discoveries - he gave a seminar that simply blew everyone away. Simon was a purist, an idealist and a great bloke. I will miss him terribly and I send my heartfelt sympathies to his family and everyone whose lives he touched. Rest in peace my dear friend. Ian
I was so lucky to be in graduate school with Simon at UCSF. He was a constant source of joy and inspiration during those years - always ready to share a scientific insight or a friendly joke. I will miss knowing that he is out there, making science and the world a better place every day through his work and his positive outlook. I am so glad that he improved so many lives, including mine. Sending my heartfelt condolences to his friends and family, Angela DePace, Harvard Medical School
It is unreal and hard to believe even after three days that Simon is not with us anymore. I have been asking the question in my mind many times in the last three days – WHY SIMON? Such a nice person, brilliant scientist, and compassionate person with a big smile all the time. I will personally miss his smile when I wash my coffee cup in the Xerox room every day. Often we use to chat in that room about science, food, and other issues.
Simon’s case also makes me wonder – life is so short and could be taken away at any movement. Still we seem to sweat for small issues in life. Simon has left a brilliant mark from his scientific career. It is unfortunate that he will not be there to see the scientific advances that will come out of his work.
I feel for his parents and sister; such a nice people. My family met Simon’s parents last year in the Davis Farmers market. We chatted briefly about food and some special vegetables. What is amazing is that when I met Simon’s mother few days ago; she remembered our meeting in the Farmers market. This is really remarkable and reflects on Simon’s brilliancy, character and demeanor.
Although Simon is not with us anymore; his legacy as a scientist and as a person will stay with us at UC Davis and with his colleagues around the world.
Simon and I were graduate students together and he is a big reason I am doing plant research. His work was inspirational and I was lucky to know him. The world will miss all the discoveries that he had the potential to make.
I live two houses down from Simon in Davis and on rare occasions I saw Simon returning from the lab (always in the dark, always late at night). I never got to know Simon very well, but as a UC Davis Plant Science alum (BSc 1981, PhD, 1987 Soil and Water) I know that his life was not two doors down from my home; his life was in that lab, with all of you who worked with him.
I do remember his housewarming party, an international, musical, bohemian event that my wife Karen and I enjoyed very much. Although Simon and I never once spoke about his work or research, I knew there was brilliance there, combined with a very sweet, charming, funny and quirky quality to his character that I was hoping to get to know once he got tenure. Since he became ill so suddenly, the outpouring of friends, colleagues and the special comments from those who spent time with Simon, shows that we have all lost a brilliant light in our lives.
I hope that we keep Simon close in our hearts and support Robert, Avril and Caron as best as we can. Simon certainly appears to have changed many lives for the better despite his short time with us.
I did not know Simon Chan; reading his story, it's obvious it's a tremendous loss for him, society, and science. Having a medical background and a particular interest in why younger people die "before their time" (and could it have been prevented),I wonder about the transplant issue, i.e.,how long did he have to wait, could this have been accomplished sooner, were there other issues involved? My condolences to those who knew him.
Simon was an over-sized presence, both in life and in science. Brilliant, full of enthusiasm, multi-talented, generous, kind, witty... the list goes on. In common with many here, I cannot begin to fathom his sudden absence from our lives. The positive impacts of his work on society and on science will reverberate for many, many years, and our memories of him will always bring a smile to those who knew him.
My deepest sympathies to Simon's family and his colleagues. What a far reaching loss? I had the great pleasure to meet Simon in early July during the NSF-BREAD Awardees meeting in DC. I am at once very sad for his passing away and happy to have briefly known such wonderful person and scientist. May his soul rest in perfect peace.
I will remember Simon for his smile and his inspiring enthusiasm for turning academic discovery into practical benefits for people who can benefit from the application of new plant breeding methods. Simon was dedicated to his next frontier in basic science while he embraced and nurtured partnerships to apply the results produced from his talented research team. I am grateful Simon recognized the potential for his work to benefit cassava and banana farmers. Simon was gifted at acknowledging the value of each of our contributions in the world.
I send my condolences to Simon's family, co-workers and friends. Thank you for sharing Simon with us.
Peter Kulakow Cassava Breeder, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture
I'm really affected by the news and wish all Simon's family and friends my deepest sympathies. I got to meet Simon, in 2007 at the Arabidopsis meeting. We prolonged a bit our stay after the meeting together with colleagues and thanks to Simon's enthusiasm for good Food, our stay in Beijing has been an amazing culinary experience. Beyond, his scientific achievements forced respect and the whole Plat Biology field has lost a great scientist.
Simon, I can’t accept that you have left us. I cannot fathom the cruelty of a world that took you from it, when all you ever did was make it richer.
But when I think of that, I think of how you would have seen it, with your unerring sense for the good: the beautiful mystery that you came to be, that of the innumerable possibilities you were born, entered our lives, and graced us forever before you left.
I always marveled at your talents, how nothing seemed beyond you, whether science or the sax. I was awe-struck by your insatiable curiosity, whether for cuisines of the world and the countless restaurants you took us to as “Low End Theory,” or for music, literature, the people in your life. But the impression I carry and cherish most of all is of your unrivaled generosity, your immediate and unfailing instinct to help and credit others, your unalloyed goodness of heart, your precious friendship.
Your genius and sense of wonder were also palpable. The great discoveries you made in plant biology will help the world, and your contributions will no doubt be missed by your colleagues. How many of us can truly say we left this place better than it was before we came?
Simon, I can hear your voice now, with its gentle lilt of the Antipodes, and recall the hours, seemingly endless, of conversation and fun we had together in L.A., by day and night with all our friends. I am so grateful for your presence at my wedding, and so fortunate to have met you for the first time at our friend Stephen’s. I always left our every encounter a better person. You had that effect on me and on so many others, and we will retain that.
We are bereft without you, but we will carry you with us always, you will not be forgotten, and someday we will be able to smile for the love, friendship, and inspiration you gave us – tamquam haec sit nostri medicina doloris.
I only met him last year at the ICAR in Madison. During our short conversation, I felt that he is someone who loves what he is doing with all his passion and full of talents. It is so sad that he left us but I strongly believe that he lived his life as happy as it can be.
Simon was the best of us. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues. He will always be an inspiration to many of us- as an excellent human being and an incredible scientist.
Simon, in your short life you gave so much to the world.
Thank you!
I had the honor of meeting you and hearing you last year when you spoke about your research. I was so inspired by your science, your intelligence and your gentle smile. I remember asking whether you were from New Zealand and you smiled and said "Yes." I am so sad that you are gone, but your science and your character will always be with us. My thoughts are with your family and all who knew you and thought the world of you.
Lin Weaver, member of the Dean of Biological Sciences Leadership Council.
Things I remember about Simon: His generosity - just this weekend we were cleaning up the house and came upon so many books and CDs he gave to us. He would randomly drop off chocolate with names that would have some meaning to both my husband and I.. He shared all his lectures, exams and teaching tips with me without reservation. He would read a grant or paper at the drop of a hat.. His generosity was extraordinary.
His intelligence - I was awed by his intelligence when I first met him - and in every conversation after that. I remember his first faculty chalk talk where he spoke about his haploid genome elimination finding. I remember being struck by the thought - this finding is of Nobel Prize quality... I can't believe that I have colleagues like this!
His humility - despite the many awards were graced upon him, he was always humble.
His passion and enthusiasm - No matter if I knew the material, I was always captured by his lectures and seminars - I was left with the shared sentiment of how amazing science is, and how lucky we are to live in these times.
His love for food - I discovered more about Mexican and Malaysian food than I would have ever imagined with Simon. He introduced me to restaurants throughout the country, and I always enjoyed cooking for him. He also managed to translate all my Trinidadian favorite herbs and vegetables Trini names into their scientific names so I could find seed.
His love for his family - his love for them is deep and loyal. He missed them so much, but we were lucky enough to celebrate some of their milestones with him - even his niece's birth was an event! Meeting them these past few weeks, it became clear how he became the amazing person he is.
I realized today - if he influenced me this much in the short 4 years I knew him, imagine all the people he positively influenced throughout his short life. The department and our lives are emptier without him - but so enriched by being able to have been his friend and colleague, even if it was for such a short time. We miss you Simon..
I remember being completely blown away during Simon's job interview. We had a bunch of very smart people come through but Simon was in a different league. He thought broadly about science, stood back to determine the most interesting and exciting questions, and then developed extremely creative and effective programs for answering those questions. It is what we all strive to do, but Simon already did it better than almost anyone even at that early stage.
It seemed unlikely to me that we would be able to recruit Simon to UCD, mostly because he was so in to the L.A. food scene and many other things that are best found in an urban environment. Yet we did (we worked very hard during his second interview to woo him). I was very impressed at how quickly Simon embraced living in Davis, developing a fast love for bicycles, Yolo county produce, and becoming even more environmentally conscious.
I remember when Simon and Ravi first figured out they could make haploid plants. Simon came running into my office brimming with excitement. Even though he had previously had (to my knowledge) no involvement or exposure to plant breeding he immediately saw the implications and new it was big. I loved that he was equally enthusiastic about the basic science and applied aspects of this discovery.
I've already written on the BMCDB blog about one of my first thoughts in remembering Simon but I will repeat it here: I have been so enriched by having known Simon. He expanded my world in science, music, food, conservation, trivia, travel, new friends, and so much more. I'll treasure that forever.
Most of the things I'd say about Simon have been said by others already. He was a spectacular talent who already stood out in a field with many great minds. The thing I'd like to comment on is just what an amazingly nice guy he was. As a junior scientist with much to lose by sharing his ideas and materials, it seemed like he wanted nothing more than to help everyone else that he possibly could. I hope that his legacy will inspire more of us to strive to be as selfless and open handed as he was with our ideas, materials, germplasm and intellectual property.
To me at least, Simon was also non-conformist and this inspired me several times. His findings are changing (and will continue to change) the way we work and think. Sciencewise what can I add to the comments above ? everything is simply true as Simon managed to impress and influence many of us in such a short life.
Apart from science, I was lucky enough to spend a few days in China with him (and several other young scientists, there was Julin Maloof, Alexis Maizel, Nicolas Bouché, Marleen Vanstraelen) back in 2007 after the Arabidopsis meeting there. If you knew him, I don't need to tell you about the food 'experiments' we did ! but I specifically recall of a crazy moment when we were biking at night in the busy streets of downtown Beijing. I was trying to follow Simon as he was telling me that if we wanted to survive this we needed to go faster than the cars to be able to avoid them, which we did. We were like kids that night... and Simon was so sincere. I still can't believe I won't see that smile anymore. He was precisely my age.
The contributions here are many but unified in memory of an outstanding scientist and personality. Not much can be added. I met Simon only once when he gave a seminar at our institute, but this encounter was enough to remember him forever and to share now the feeling of a big loss. My best wishes go to his family, his friends and colleagues: may the happiness to have known Simon with time overcome the current sadness of having lost him.
I remember Simon fondly. I just saw him this summer at a Gordon conference . such great enthusiasm, and energy and insight. He will be missed. by many Zac Cande UC Berkeley
I'm very sad to learn of Simon's passing. I have good memories of "hanging out" with Simon at conferences and enjoying lively discussions about chromosomes, plants, agriculture, food, travel and life in general. His enthusiasm for science and sense of fun will be missed.
Sadly, I didn't get the opportunity to meet Simon in person, although I was working on that goal diligently for the last nine months. I knew him only from our Skype conversation, e-mail correspondence and the photos on his lab homepage. Still, my impression about him fully corresponds to what I could read here: kind, generous, humble, lively, brilliant... I just want to add that Simon was a huge inspiration even to people who actually never met him directly. I wish to express my sincere condolence to his family, friends and colleagues.
Simon embodied everything anyone would desire in a friend and colleague - compassion, generosity, enthusiasm, humility, empathy, brilliance, inspiration. He was a positive force for so many and will be missed terribly, but his smile and laughter will always linger in our hearts and minds.
In the Group of Reproductive Development and Apomixis we are all terribly sad and sorry to have lost such a a wonderful colleague, collaborator, and friend. We send our most sincere condolences to his family and his lab. Our thoughts are in Davis. Jean-Philippe Vielle-Calzada, Langebio CINVESTAV Mexico
Simon was simply an exceptional scientist and a person. I do not know of anyone of his caliper: brilliant, talented yet modest, humble, and fun.
I first met Simon in 2007 when I visited UC Davis Plant Biology Department. Simon was starting his own lab. I asked him whether he is continuing his exciting gene silencing work from postdoc time. He smiled and replied, 'no', and told me about his planned research of a centromere-specific histone and its implication to speciation. I was blown away with his amazing ideas and enthusiasm. I told him that he would probably need several years to get funded and publish a paper, as he was starting his project from a scratch. He smiled and said that his Davis colleagues are fully supporting his ideas and he is very confident and comfortable. I was really impressed by Simon and also by the UC Davis Plant Biologists for nurturing an outstanding young scientist to blossom.
Then a few years later, Simon's paradigm shifting paper about haploids generation came out.
The last time I met Simon was at the orientation at HHMI. I was very nervous, but Simon's smile made me really relaxed. Simon has read my bio, and he knew that I was a 'drop-out' orchestra musician. He shared with me his love of music, and also told me about his proud sister who (if I recall correctly) is a professional orchestra violin player in NZ. We chatted our about life as musicians!
Simon was such a special person; I feel like I've known him for long time. He enriched my life, and so many others' during his short life. Scientifically, his legacy will be remembered for decades and centuries to come.
This is heartbreaking news. I met Simon during my graduate studies at Davis, and I was amazed by the spirit of kindness, brilliance, and enthusiasm that pervaded all that he did. I will never forget the many discussions I had with him, and I know that, like countless other students and colleagues, I will continue to be inspired by his memory. I will miss Simon's infectious smile and boundless energy so much; it was the greatest privilege to have known him. My deepest condolences to his family.
Simon and I overlapped most of our graduate careers in Liz's lab at UCSF. Like many, I've always been impressed by Simon's ability to 'think genetically'. It always seemed like his brain was wired like an epistasis diagram. Our paths diverged in graduate school, but met again when he began working on centromeres and we ended up in similar scientific circles. As usual, I learned a lot whenever we spoke about work. I could go on about all the wonderful things his collaborators and colleague have already said about his enthusiasm and dedication to his field and science in general, but I won't reiterate what others can say better than I can.
My more vivid memories of Simon don't involve work as much. I remember how much he taught me about jazz. Whenever we spoke about this I took notes about musicians I had never heard of and bought those CDs down in the Haight. I was never disappointed by his recommendations. I also remember how voracious Simon was, not only for science, but for food. When we talked outside of work (or in lab) it was often about food. Discovering the food of San Francisco is something we both got to enjoy together, even if we rarely sat together at a meal. I recall once when he and Liz and I did eat together at Grandeho sushi in Cole Valley. Liz was treating us, maybe for a paper or grant, and we sat in the front by the window. I think I was at the beginning of trying sushi and mostly did not understand the menu and ordered some salmon roe. In fact, I think I ordered a few kinds of roe not realizing what it was. I ate some and did not like it so much. Liz graciously declined eating any, stating that it was not her favorite either. I honestly did not want another bite and was a bit mortified that my PI had ordered this expensive food that I did not want to eat. Simon swooped in and finished the plate. He was always a 'wee bit peckish' so this was nothing to him. I am not sure I ever told him how grateful I was that he helped me finish that sushi.
Simon was so enthusiastic about science and life and I know the world will be a less interesting place without Simon there to be a cheerleader for the things he loved.
Simon was a great scientist and a wonderful collaborator. All the people who interacted with him enjoyed it so much... He was incredibly brilliant and generous. Personally, Simon was much more than a collaborator, he was a real friend. As many people, I shared some food experiences with him (Notably an amazing dinner in a Japanese restaurant in S.F, which I well remember my entire life). When he visited us in Versailles, we went to my second favorite restaurant, because my first choice was closed that day. As expected when Simon is here, we had a great time. I was delighted because Simon really enjoyed the food. Since, he was always joking about it, saying that he was wondering what can be my first favorite restaurant in Versailles. I was looking forward to invite him to this place and I really cannot accept that this will never happen…. My thoughts go to the Simon’s friends and to his family. We will all miss you so deeply.
Danny Geelen August 29, 2012 I have met Simon at a meeting in Melbourne. The contact with him was very open and honest and he was able to instantly make you feel at ease. I really enjoyed talking to him about his background and he had interesting viewpoints about the interaction between people. That conversation at the dinner table in Melbourne will stay in my memory. On the scientific front he was clearly very bright and excited about his science. He talked fast and thought two steps ahead, not inhibited by secrecy or other issues that can hinder an open conversation. It is regretful that we have to miss such an amical and cool scientist.
I had only seen Simon once - back in the summer of 2009 when I attended an orientation session for parents of incoming freshmen. That year the official professorial lecture was given by Simon - how fortunate we were! I was in awe of his enthusiasm and the scope of the work he was doing. I remember telling my son about this amazing professor and advised him to try to take any class he could from him. My heart breaks for Simon's students, colleagues, friends and family. I hope Simon's parents can take away some joy in understanding how very special he was to so many people, even to those of us who had never met him but only needed less than an hour to be transformed by his marvelous exuberance.
I met Simon during Maize meeting in 2011 where he presented an impressive plenary lecture on using CENH3 mutants to generate haploid plants. During my interaction with him, I found him very friendly and having much enthusiasm for science. His passing is unbelievable and big loss to science. Simon, you will be missed. RIP.
Simon was a wonderful roommate, a phenomenal scientist, and an even better person. He was a foodie before I even knew what the term meant and I still have fond memories of our roommate dinners together in San Francisco.
Simon, you have touched so many people in your life and work. You will be missed, but never forgotten.
I've met him in the GI Lab as a patient and I have to say that despite his condition, I have never heard him complain, even if his visit to us has become more frequent. He always greets us with a warm smile. He might be gone now but I will never forget him. Actually, ever since I learned about his death, I think about him everyday. Fly Simon...
I only met Simon a few times at meetings. Each time he left such a strong and positive impression on me, not only scientifically, but also as a truly generous, vibrant and infinitely kind person. I think we will always remember him this way. It is very sad and a big loss to our scientific community as Simon was one of the most promising young scientists I have met in recent times. He will be very much missed.
He is a wonderful scientist. I met him in WSU Pullman. He was there for a seminar regarding the centromere mediated haploid production system. He was energetic and vibrant. We will miss him.
The only time I ever saw Simon was two summers ago in a lecture hall during my freshman orientation. He came in and gave a presentation about plant biology, explaining how it was a small, yet invaluable major for the future of life. I went home the next day, telling all my friends and family about everything I had learned from Simon and how I hoped that one day I could have him as a professor or perhaps even work with him as a research assistant. During the short time that I saw him, he persuaded me into reconsidering my major and inspired me to explore this field with a new appreciation for plants. It saddens me now that he is gone and I wish I could have known him personally.
Shocked to learn Simmon passed away. Had attended his talk in Beijing. He is such as wonderful speaker and outstanding scientist. The plant biology field lost a true innovative scientist.
I was traveling today and thought about Simon. I did not know him personally but did hear him give a seminar once and was struck by his charisma and enthusiasm for science. I thought it might be worth sharing my memory of that seminar in this forum.
Not long after he discovered how a GFP-H3 transgene could be used to create haploid plants from diploid parents he came to Indiana University to give a seminar. He made a very funny joke at the beginning of the seminar. At that time he must have been an assistant professor UC Davis but the flyer for his seminar listed him as an associate professor. So, he started the talk by saying something like "I see that my seminar flyer has me listed as an associate professor. When I boarded the plane in California to come here I was an assistant professor so it is a great feeling to know that I received tenure and was promoted during the flight!" That made a lot of people laugh.
He went on to describe his lab's discovery and point out that his postdoc deserved a lot of credit for pursuing what probably seemed like a genotyping error at the time. He spent much of his time talking about the possibilities for this new technology in other plants and the diploid organisms which are known to, at times, naturally produce haploid offspring. It was one of the best seminars I ever heard and I imagine that I will remember it for the rest of my life. Simon was, without a doubt, a great scientist and a memorable man.
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The loss of such a warm person and extraordinarily talented scientist is truly shocking. Simon has enriched all our lives. His company always brought instant delight- both by his cheerful nature and his engaging intellect.
ReplyDeleteA light has gone out int he world.
Bassem, UCSF.
This is really terrible news and I am very very sad to get it. What an enormous and irreparable loss for his family, for friends and colleagues at Davis and elsewhere, and for the international plant science community. Simon’s generosity of spirit, passion for science, and his enthusiasm for everything he did were infectious and its very hard to accept that someone of his abilities and such a promising future has been lost in so untimely a manner. My deepest condolences to his family and to his friends and colleagues at the Department of Biology at Davis.
ReplyDeleteImran Siddiqi
CCMB, Hyderabad, India
This is a terrible loss, to Simon's family, friends and colleagues and to the entire Plant Science community. Simon had such a strong sense of fun, even in the context of serious science, that he made debate and discussion a real pleasure. He was inspirational, and his greatest legacy will be to continue to inspire those that knew him for years to come.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts are with Simon's family and everyone at UCD.
Cathie Martin,
Editor in Chief,
The Plant Cell
This is shocking news, and I am really sorry that such a talented thinker and experimentalist has passed away. I only had the privilege to meet and talk to Simon at PAG in 2011, and was incredibly impressed by his insightful understanding and thoughts. His contribution will live on through his brilliant centromere papers.
ReplyDeleteI send sincere condolences to his family and colleagues.
Pat Heslop-Harrison
Simon Chan was one of the most talented, honest, and kind individuals that I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Simon spent several years in my laboratory as a postdoctoral fellow and he left his mark on our lab and our lives. He was also one of the most promising young plant biologists of this generation, and his achievements have made us all so proud. I feel honored to have had the time with him that I was blessed with. His loss is devastating on so many levels. To Simon’s family, I am so sorry for your loss, and please know that your son was loved by all who knew him. Steve Jacobsen
ReplyDeleteSimon is gone, it is hard to really understand. Once with us, once here with his strong opinions, his lightning-fast thinking, his massive knowledge, his constant pledge for intellectual stimulation, his laughter, his musicality. We were back-to-back postdocs in his first year in Steve's lab. He outnumbered me at all levels there, and I always new that I could only be better by studying the greats. And I have been studying Simon, because he is one of the greats. Like he picked up the licks of Charlie Parker, I picked up the licks of Simon.
ReplyDeleteHe was an inspiration for everyone with ambitions to accomplish and enjoy the good things in life. There are plenty to do out there, and he showed us that it is possible if you just work on it. I will continue to study Simon, for I have still lots to learn from him.
My deepest condolences to his family and friends.
On behalf of the leadership, membership, journals, and staff of the American Society of Plant Biologists, I am writing to convey our deep sense of shock and sadness at the tragedy of Simon’s untimely passing. As indicated by Simon’s many awards and achievements (including, in 2006, the ASPB Early Career Award and, more recently, his appointment as an HHMI/GBMF investigator), Simon was a rising star in plant biology; his spark, his enthusiasm, and his capabilities will be sorely missed by us all.
ReplyDeleteI only met Simon two or three times in person, and never worked closely with him. But he left a lasting impression on me. He was one of the most instantly likeable people I've ever met...infectious enthusiasm for life, for knowledge, for science. And incredibly generous with his time and energy. He personified all that is good about science, and it is a huge loss to the world.
ReplyDeleteI am deeply saddened for the untimely passing of Simon. While I only met him a couple of times, I have been a big fan of his work. As his work, personality, and attitude towards science inspired many young scientists during his short life, I am certain that his beautiful series of publications and lectures available online will continue to inspire many more students and scientists in years to come.
ReplyDeleteThis is terrible news. I'm deeply shocked. I had the pleasure of working closely with Simon when I was a graduate student at the Salk Institute and collaborating with the Jacobsen lab. I can honestly say every single scientific discussion with Simon was mind-blowing. Science apart, Simon as a person was a pleasure to know. I will always remember his energy, enthusiasm, generosity (he hosted me numerous times during my trips to LA), and his love of trying something new (especially good cuisine). Its a huge loss. My deepest condolences to his family.
ReplyDeleteAmbika Sundaresan
I'm really sad to hear the news and wish all Simon's family and friends my deepest sympathies. I was always impressed with Simon and thought his intellectual energy was such a treasure to the scientific community and a model for young plant scientists. I'm sure his work will live on through his papers and the people he trained.
ReplyDeleteAugust 24
ReplyDeleteA terribly sad day for plant biology and Simon's colleague, because such a bright star was extinguished.
This is such sad news! He was a very talented and inspiring young scientist. My condolences to his loved ones and colleagues.
ReplyDeleteSimon sounds like a person who lived life to the fullest. His memory is a blessing to all who knew him and read about him.
ReplyDeleteMy colleagues and I at the Plant Genome Program were deeply saddened by the news of Simon's death. Simon was a brilliant scientist, passionate about his work, and committed to making a difference. Simon shared himself generously - always giving well-prepared and well thought-out presentations, and never hesitating to speak up at meetings. One of the things that made Simon special was that refreshing, child-like quality about him. In his short life, he had achieved so much. The scientific community and the world has lost not only a gifted scientist but a wonderful human being.
ReplyDeleteThis is such sad news. It is like the breath has gone out of plant sciences this week-- Simon was such a bundle of energy, ideas, enthusiasm and an exciting champion for science. It will be a long time before we get over this loss. My sympathy to his family, colleagues and friends.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad beyond sad that Simon is gone. He meant so much to everyone around him. It is overwhelmingly heartbreaking. Seeing such an outpouring of love for him and support for his family is amazing. I will always remember his goofy sense of humor, his enthusiasm, and his wonderful presence. He was a brilliant scientist, a fantastic teacher, an amazing advisor, and truly changed my life. He will be missed in every area of his influence.
ReplyDeleteStill can't believe that Simon is no longer with us! He was such an inspiration to Plant Scientists at UC Davis and beyond! He will be missed tremendously by everyone.
ReplyDeleteI will miss Simon so much. He was not only a brilliant scientist but also a kind, generous, and wonderful person. I think what made him so special was his boundless enthusiasm. For science, of course, but also for (good) tacos, for bicycle components, for jazz, for off-beat cookbooks . . . I could make a very long list. He leaves a big hole in our lives.
ReplyDeleteI met Simon though the doubled haploid work supported by the Gates Foundation. I knew of his reputation as innovative and brilliant. I was surprised to learn how unusually gracious and generous he was. What a patient and kind and caring and generous presentation he made! I am praying for him and his family and friends. We never know when we will be called. I hope that others can continue his work and use his
ReplyDeleteinnovative approach to dihaploids to benefit smallholder farmers in poor countries.
I first heard of Simon back in in 2005 when he was interviewing at UC Davis for a faculty position. He was one of many interviewed but he had obviously greatly impressed a colleague who said to me, with eyes shining, ‘we HAVE to hire Simon!’ I asked her why (and expected to hear about his great scientific achievements, of what a great colleague he would be, etc.) Unexpectedly, she said ‘ because he plays the ukulele!’
ReplyDeleteI first met Simon in mid-2006, soon after he started at UCD. I had just organized my first Arabidopsis conference, which had had a fairly dismal turnout. I went around and asked the plant biology faculty why they hadn’t gone to the meeting, and what could make it better in the future. I hadn’t gotten many helpful responses; then I asked Simon and had a great 20-minute discussion that made up for all the rest. He suggested that instead of doing what ‘usual conferences do’, where the session chairs are all established professors who have been to many meeting, why didn’t we invite early career researchers to be the chairs. He pointed out that this would be a great opportunity to give exposure, on an international stage, to those that could really benefit. Also, he told me, with his signature sweet smile, ‘they will have really great stories to tell.’ I thought this was an awesome idea- and right in line with what the Arabidopsis conference strives for- and incorporated this into the next meetings held in North America.
I’m proud to say that Simon agreed to chair a session at the Arabidopsis conference last summer in Madison, where he shared his brilliant and ground-breaking research on plant-breeding and genetic inheritance. Cheers to Simon Chan and a life well-lived!
-Joanna Friesner
The first time I met Simon at UC Davis when I was applying to be the technician in his brand new lab. I will never forget the surprise I felt in our first meeting, the same surprise I saw on many people’s faces when they first met him. His awesome 80`s hair, Maori shirt, baggy jeans, converse shoes, and gorgeous grin defied every expectation that you had of who you thought ‘Dr. Chan’ would be. And then he spoke with his adorable bubbly New Zealand accent and you knew that you had a lot to learn about Simon. I was Simon’s first employee in the lab and I had the honor to spend a year of my time learning from him and enjoying his amazing personality. He was the kind of guy that you would work 12 hours for because you wanted him to be proud of you and you wanted him to succeed. When I came into Simon’s lab I was a chemical ecologist who didn’t like molecular biology very much. Simon made me fall in love with molecular biology and changed my career forever. There is no one that will ever fill those converse shoes, but in my own small way I will work hard to honor him and keep his light burning in whatever way I can. He will continue to inspire me to push harder and he will continue to make me believe in myself. I have a head full of memories of Simon but I will quickly just give you these 4 small stories:
ReplyDelete1) Simon loved to celebrate the smallest of day-to-day victories in the lab. He always wanted to go out to get ice cream or lunch or dinner if we were really lucky. I think I gained 10 pounds that year eating ice cream with Simon.
2) Simon fell asleep during every single meeting, talk or seminar that I ever saw him attend. His head would comically bob until he woke himself up and immediately asked the most insightful question you ever heard. It was amazing.
3) Simon convinced me to learn how to play the ukulele so that I could learn to play my favorite Bob Dylan songs and when I left the lab for grad school he gave me an original Smurf Ukulele that he found on the internet and knew I would love.
4) The last time I ever saw Simon was on one of my proudest days. I got to give my first big science talk at a big meeting in Madison last summer. Simon came and found me near the stage and gave me a big hug. Simon and my PhD advisor Jennifer sat next to each other in the front row. I will cherish the feeling I had as I saw him beaming up at me with pride. He made me feel like a superstar that day.
His family should feel so proud of Simon. He touched a lot of lives and lived a lot of life in his far too short a number of years. I am so sorry for your loss and I will carry Simon with me forever.
Jodi Stewart Lilley
Simon Chan: such a rare constellation of qualities: smart, witty, gregarious, generous, humble, positive, creative, inspiring, manically enthusiastic, capable and so very sharp minded! His signature look – the spiky hair, glasses, Hawaiian shirt and cheeky smile instantly conjure up his image – and his warm personality mean that we will never forget Simon.
ReplyDeleteSimon was in typical form at a the meiosis conference this summer, humbly proclaiming himself an imposter in the field, touching everyone with his charm and intellect, sleeping two minutes before his talk and then delivering a lively, witty and absolutely riveting presentation.
Clearly “a chip off the old block” – Avril, Robert and Caron, I see Simon’s wonderful personality in you all. You have my deepest sympathy. We will all miss him so much and will think of you when we do.
-Neil Hunter
I am so sorry for the loss of Simon, and send heartfelt condolences to Simon's family, friends, students and many colleagues at UC Davis and across the world. I was privileged to meet Simon through his engagement with the collaboration between NSF and the Gates Foundation for "Basic Research to Enable Agricultural Development (BREAD)". Simon personified what we'd hoped would happen through BREAD: find U.S.-based scientists with brilliant ideas of potential value to farmers in developing countries, and support their international research partnerships with a view to long-term impact on the poorest smallholder farming families. Simon saw that his basic research results on chromosomes in Arabidopsis could be really useful in breeding cassava and banana. He threw himself into an international collaboration whole-heartedly, engaging with his characteristic generosity, enthusiasm, hunger to learn, lobbying savvy, and humor. We asked him and his project partners based in Colombia and Tanzania to present their plans for “Fast breeding for slow crops” to Bill Gates during the BREAD meeting in Seattle a year ago; Simon showed up in jeans and a Public Library of Science (PLoS) t-shirt, probably best described as “wrinkled”, because he wanted to get a photo alongside Bill with the PLoS logo, advertising his commitment to free and open scientific publications (although in the best photo we got, both Bill and Simon are pointing animatedly at the project poster, so the PLoS logo is obscured…..). We met again in Uganda this summer, his first trip to Africa, where I bumped into him just after he arrived at the conference site, bubbling with enthusiasm to have seen cassava and banana in farmers’ fields on the drive from the airport, and looking forward to meeting project partners, local scientists, farmers, and students.
ReplyDeleteSimon’s loss is heart-breaking: so much joy and potential snuffed out too soon. And yet we are grateful for a life lived fully and for the contributions he had time to make. We hope for a lasting legacy with his colleagues in seeing his work reach farmers with better crop varieties. Thanks to Simon’s family for sharing him with the world, and please know that many of us share your grief.
Kathy Kahn
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Agricultural Development program
I am shocked and deeply saddened by the passing of Simon. It seems just like yesterday that we had lunch together in his favorite Chinese restaurant in downtown Davis. I first met Simon at the Arabidopsis meeting in 2006, when he was just starting up his lab at UCD. He struck me as someone who was very friendly, outgoing, and sincere. In the following years, we met on several occasions and chatted just about everything, from science, how to get grant, to history. Last year (2011) I spent six months in his department at UCD for my sabbatical leave, and had many more interactions with him at scientific and personal levels. I have watched him blossom in the plant community, being promoted to associate professor, and most importantly, becoming the youngest recipient among the 15 prominent plant scientists for the prestigious HHMI-GBMF award. Although he told me modestly that he was just being so lucky, I knew how brilliant his work was. As Bill (Lucas) put it: Simon had the potential to receive the Nobel Prize. He was so enthusiastic about science and life, and his enthusiasm was infectious. He was so healthy, energetic, and in my eyes was a semi-professional cyclist. This is why this news came so shockingly. My heart goes to his parents, sister, and colleagues in the department and his lab. I am proud to have had him as a friend.
ReplyDeleteAll of us at the Genetics Society of America are extremely saddened to learn of the untimely passing of Simon Chan. A rising star in his field, Simon was an energetic researcher, a dedicated educator, and a committed mentor. Our deepest condolence to Simon's family, friends, and colleagues.
ReplyDeleteI was shocked by the passing of Dr. Simon. I met him once when he brought us a wonderful seminar in Singapore. I feel him as a very sunshine guy excluding his researcher nature. He will be missed by everyone!
ReplyDeleteZhongyuan Liu
A terribly sad loss of a great scientist an a wonderful person. My heartfelt condoleances to his family and friends.
ReplyDeleteCharles White. CNRS, France.
Simon was one of the first people I met when I joined Steve's lab at UCLA and immediately I was charmed - he was one of the kindest, most genuine and most brilliant people I have ever known. Simon took me on so many restaurant adventures to the farthest corners of Los Angeles, talking continually - he was always searching for new things and new experiences, always analyzing. In science he was completely irrepressible and always striving with so much energy and curiosity. I saw him last year when he visited the UK. He was so focused and so clearly thriving on his discoveries - he gave a seminar that simply blew everyone away. Simon was a purist, an idealist and a great bloke. I will miss him terribly and I send my heartfelt sympathies to his family and everyone whose lives he touched. Rest in peace my dear friend. Ian
ReplyDeleteI was so lucky to be in graduate school with Simon at UCSF. He was a constant source of joy and inspiration during those years - always ready to share a scientific insight or a friendly joke. I will miss knowing that he is out there, making science and the world a better place every day through his work and his positive outlook. I am so glad that he improved so many lives, including mine. Sending my heartfelt condolences to his friends and family, Angela DePace, Harvard Medical School
ReplyDeleteDinesh-Kumar
ReplyDeleteIt is unreal and hard to believe even after three days that Simon is not with us anymore. I have been asking the question in my mind many times in the last three days – WHY SIMON? Such a nice person, brilliant scientist, and compassionate person with a big smile all the time. I will personally miss his smile when I wash my coffee cup in the Xerox room every day. Often we use to chat in that room about science, food, and other issues.
Simon’s case also makes me wonder – life is so short and could be taken away at any movement. Still we seem to sweat for small issues in life. Simon has left a brilliant mark from his scientific career. It is unfortunate that he will not be there to see the scientific advances that will come out of his work.
I feel for his parents and sister; such a nice people. My family met Simon’s parents last year in the Davis Farmers market. We chatted briefly about food and some special vegetables. What is amazing is that when I met Simon’s mother few days ago; she remembered our meeting in the Farmers market. This is really remarkable and reflects on Simon’s brilliancy, character and demeanor.
Although Simon is not with us anymore; his legacy as a scientist and as a person will stay with us at UC Davis and with his colleagues around the world.
Dinesh-Kumar
Simon and I were graduate students together and he is a big reason I am doing plant research. His work was inspirational and I was lucky to know him. The world will miss all the discoveries that he had the potential to make.
ReplyDeletemeter
My deepest condolences!
ReplyDeleteJim
My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.... though I never meet him..I am a regular follower of his articles.. and his web link..
ReplyDeleteReally sad to hear the news..
Sunil (Univ of Hyderabad, India)
I live two houses down from Simon in Davis and on rare occasions I saw Simon returning from the lab (always in the dark, always late at night). I never got to know Simon very well, but as a UC Davis Plant Science alum (BSc 1981, PhD, 1987 Soil and Water) I know that his life was not two doors down from my home; his life was in that lab, with all of you who worked with him.
ReplyDeleteI do remember his housewarming party, an international, musical, bohemian event that my wife Karen and I enjoyed very much. Although Simon and I never once spoke about his work or research, I knew there was brilliance there, combined with a very sweet, charming, funny and quirky quality to his character that I was hoping to get to know once he got tenure. Since he became ill so suddenly, the outpouring of friends, colleagues and the special comments from those who spent time with Simon, shows that we have all lost a brilliant light in our lives.
I hope that we keep Simon close in our hearts and support Robert, Avril and Caron as best as we can. Simon certainly appears to have changed many lives for the better despite his short time with us.
Jeff
I did not know Simon Chan; reading his story, it's obvious it's a tremendous loss for him, society, and science. Having a medical background and a particular interest in why younger people die "before their time" (and could it have been prevented),I wonder about the transplant issue, i.e.,how long did he have to wait, could this have been accomplished sooner, were there other issues involved? My condolences to those who knew him.
DeleteSimon was an over-sized presence, both in life and in science. Brilliant, full of enthusiasm, multi-talented, generous, kind, witty... the list goes on. In common with many here, I cannot begin to fathom his sudden absence from our lives. The positive impacts of his work on society and on science will reverberate for many, many years, and our memories of him will always bring a smile to those who knew him.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry that I did not get to know him, while I knew of him..........RIP
ReplyDeleteWhat a tremendous loss - I feel very sorry for his family, friends and the scientific community.
ReplyDeleteMy deepest sympathies to Simon's family and his colleagues. What a far reaching loss? I had the great pleasure to meet Simon in early July during the NSF-BREAD Awardees meeting in DC. I am at once very sad for his passing away and happy to have briefly known such wonderful person and scientist. May his soul rest in perfect peace.
ReplyDeleteI will remember Simon for his smile and his inspiring enthusiasm for turning academic discovery into practical benefits for people who can benefit from the application of new plant breeding methods. Simon was dedicated to his next frontier in basic science while he embraced and nurtured partnerships to apply the results produced from his talented research team. I am grateful Simon recognized the potential for his work to benefit cassava and banana farmers. Simon was gifted at acknowledging the value of each of our contributions in the world.
ReplyDeleteI send my condolences to Simon's family, co-workers and friends. Thank you for sharing Simon with us.
Peter Kulakow
Cassava Breeder, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture
I'm really affected by the news and wish all Simon's family and friends my deepest sympathies. I got to meet Simon, in 2007 at the Arabidopsis meeting. We prolonged a bit our stay after the meeting together with colleagues and thanks to Simon's enthusiasm for good Food, our stay in Beijing has been an amazing culinary experience. Beyond, his scientific achievements forced respect and the whole Plat Biology field has lost a great scientist.
ReplyDeleteAlexis Maizel
Heidelberg University, Germany
Simon, I can’t accept that you have left us. I cannot fathom the cruelty of a world that took you from it, when all you ever did was make it richer.
ReplyDeleteBut when I think of that, I think of how you would have seen it, with your unerring sense for the good: the beautiful mystery that you came to be, that of the innumerable possibilities you were born, entered our lives, and graced us forever before you left.
I always marveled at your talents, how nothing seemed beyond you, whether science or the sax. I was awe-struck by your insatiable curiosity, whether for cuisines of the world and the countless restaurants you took us to as “Low End Theory,” or for music, literature, the people in your life. But the impression I carry and cherish most of all is of your unrivaled generosity, your immediate and unfailing instinct to help and credit others, your unalloyed goodness of heart, your precious friendship.
Your genius and sense of wonder were also palpable. The great discoveries you made in plant biology will help the world, and your contributions will no doubt be missed by your colleagues. How many of us can truly say we left this place better than it was before we came?
Simon, I can hear your voice now, with its gentle lilt of the Antipodes, and recall the hours, seemingly endless, of conversation and fun we had together in L.A., by day and night with all our friends. I am so grateful for your presence at my wedding, and so fortunate to have met you for the first time at our friend Stephen’s. I always left our every encounter a better person. You had that effect on me and on so many others, and we will retain that.
We are bereft without you, but we will carry you with us always, you will not be forgotten, and someday we will be able to smile for the love, friendship, and inspiration you gave us – tamquam haec sit nostri medicina doloris.
I only met him last year at the ICAR in Madison. During our short conversation, I felt that he is someone who loves what he is doing with all his passion and full of talents. It is so sad that he left us but I strongly believe that he lived his life as happy as it can be.
ReplyDeleteThomas
Simon was the best of us. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues.
ReplyDeleteHe will always be an inspiration to many of us- as an excellent human being and an incredible scientist.
S. Braybrook
Simon, in your short life you gave so much to the world.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
I had the honor of meeting you and hearing you last year when you spoke about your research. I was so inspired by your science, your intelligence and your gentle smile. I remember asking whether you were from New Zealand and you smiled and said "Yes."
I am so sad that you are gone, but your science and your character will always be with us. My thoughts are with your family and all who knew you and thought the world of you.
Lin Weaver, member of the Dean of Biological Sciences Leadership Council.
Things I remember about Simon:
ReplyDeleteHis generosity - just this weekend we were cleaning up the house and came upon so many books and CDs he gave to us. He would randomly drop off chocolate with names that would have some meaning to both my husband and I.. He shared all his lectures, exams and teaching tips with me without reservation. He would read a grant or paper at the drop of a hat.. His generosity was extraordinary.
His intelligence - I was awed by his intelligence when I first met him - and in every conversation after that. I remember his first faculty chalk talk where he spoke about his haploid genome elimination finding. I remember being struck by the thought - this finding is of Nobel Prize quality... I can't believe that I have colleagues like this!
His humility - despite the many awards were graced upon him, he was always humble.
His passion and enthusiasm - No matter if I knew the material, I was always captured by his lectures and seminars - I was left with the shared sentiment of how amazing science is, and how lucky we are to live in these times.
His love for food - I discovered more about Mexican and Malaysian food than I would have ever imagined with Simon. He introduced me to restaurants throughout the country, and I always enjoyed cooking for him. He also managed to translate all my Trinidadian favorite herbs and vegetables Trini names into their scientific names so I could find seed.
His love for his family - his love for them is deep and loyal. He missed them so much, but we were lucky enough to celebrate some of their milestones with him - even his niece's birth was an event! Meeting them these past few weeks, it became clear how he became the amazing person he is.
I realized today - if he influenced me this much in the short 4 years I knew him, imagine all the people he positively influenced throughout his short life. The department and our lives are emptier without him - but so enriched by being able to have been his friend and colleague, even if it was for such a short time. We miss you Simon..
I remember being completely blown away during Simon's job interview. We had a bunch of very smart people come through but Simon was in a different league. He thought broadly about science, stood back to determine the most interesting and exciting questions, and then developed extremely creative and effective programs for answering those questions. It is what we all strive to do, but Simon already did it better than almost anyone even at that early stage.
ReplyDeleteIt seemed unlikely to me that we would be able to recruit Simon to UCD, mostly because he was so in to the L.A. food scene and many other things that are best found in an urban environment. Yet we did (we worked very hard during his second interview to woo him). I was very impressed at how quickly Simon embraced living in Davis, developing a fast love for bicycles, Yolo county produce, and becoming even more environmentally conscious.
I remember when Simon and Ravi first figured out they could make haploid plants. Simon came running into my office brimming with excitement. Even though he had previously had (to my knowledge) no involvement or exposure to plant breeding he immediately saw the implications and new it was big. I loved that he was equally enthusiastic about the basic science and applied aspects of this discovery.
I've already written on the BMCDB blog about one of my first thoughts in remembering Simon but I will repeat it here: I have been so enriched by having known Simon. He expanded my world in science, music, food, conservation, trivia, travel, new friends, and so much more. I'll treasure that forever.
Most of the things I'd say about Simon have been said by others already. He was a spectacular talent who already stood out in a field with many great minds. The thing I'd like to comment on is just what an amazingly nice guy he was. As a junior scientist with much to lose by sharing his ideas and materials, it seemed like he wanted nothing more than to help everyone else that he possibly could. I hope that his legacy will inspire more of us to strive to be as selfless and open handed as he was with our ideas, materials, germplasm and intellectual property.
ReplyDeleteTo me at least, Simon was also non-conformist and this inspired me several times. His findings are changing (and will continue to change) the way we work and think. Sciencewise what can I add to the comments above ? everything is simply true as Simon managed to impress and influence many of us in such a short life.
ReplyDeleteApart from science, I was lucky enough to spend a few days in China with him (and several other young scientists, there was Julin Maloof, Alexis Maizel, Nicolas Bouché, Marleen Vanstraelen) back in 2007 after the Arabidopsis meeting there. If you knew him, I don't need to tell you about the food 'experiments' we did ! but I specifically recall of a crazy moment when we were biking at night in the busy streets of downtown Beijing. I was trying to follow Simon as he was telling me that if we wanted to survive this we needed to go faster than the cars to be able to avoid them, which we did. We were like kids that night... and Simon was so sincere.
I still can't believe I won't see that smile anymore.
He was precisely my age.
Olivier Loudet
INRA Versailles, France
The contributions here are many but unified in memory of an outstanding scientist and personality. Not much can be added. I met Simon only once when he gave a seminar at our institute, but this encounter was enough to remember him forever and to share now the feeling of a big loss. My best wishes go to his family, his friends and colleagues: may the happiness to have known Simon with time overcome the current sadness of having lost him.
ReplyDeleteI remember Simon fondly. I just saw him this summer at a Gordon conference . such great enthusiasm, and energy and insight. He will be missed. by many Zac Cande UC Berkeley
ReplyDeleteI'm very sad to learn of Simon's passing. I have good memories of "hanging out" with Simon at conferences and enjoying lively discussions about chromosomes, plants, agriculture, food, travel and life in general. His enthusiasm for science and sense of fun will be missed.
ReplyDeleteSadly, I didn't get the opportunity to meet Simon in person, although I was working on that goal diligently for the last nine months. I knew him only from our Skype conversation, e-mail correspondence and the photos on his lab homepage. Still, my impression about him fully corresponds to what I could read here: kind, generous, humble, lively, brilliant... I just want to add that Simon was a huge inspiration even to people who actually never met him directly. I wish to express my sincere condolence to his family, friends and colleagues.
ReplyDeleteWe are poorer without Simon. May Simon's family find strength knowing he was an inspiration to many young scientists.
ReplyDeleteSimon embodied everything anyone would desire in a friend and colleague - compassion, generosity, enthusiasm, humility, empathy, brilliance, inspiration. He was a positive force for so many and will be missed terribly, but his smile and laughter will always linger in our hearts and minds.
ReplyDeleteIn the Group of Reproductive Development and Apomixis we are all terribly sad and sorry to have lost such a a wonderful colleague, collaborator, and friend. We send our most sincere condolences to his family and his lab. Our thoughts are in Davis.
ReplyDeleteJean-Philippe Vielle-Calzada, Langebio CINVESTAV Mexico
Simon was simply an exceptional scientist and a person. I do not know of anyone of his caliper: brilliant, talented yet modest, humble, and fun.
ReplyDeleteI first met Simon in 2007 when I visited UC Davis Plant Biology Department. Simon was starting his own lab. I asked him whether he is continuing his exciting gene silencing work from postdoc time. He smiled and replied, 'no', and told me about his planned research of a centromere-specific histone and its implication to speciation. I was blown away with his amazing ideas and enthusiasm. I told him that he would probably need several years to get funded and publish a paper, as he was starting his project from a scratch. He smiled and said that his Davis colleagues are fully supporting his ideas and he is very confident and comfortable. I was really impressed by Simon and also by the UC Davis Plant Biologists for nurturing an outstanding young scientist to blossom.
Then a few years later, Simon's paradigm shifting paper about haploids generation came out.
The last time I met Simon was at the orientation at HHMI. I was very nervous, but Simon's smile made me really relaxed. Simon has read my bio, and he knew that I was a 'drop-out' orchestra musician. He shared with me his love of music, and also told me about his proud sister who (if I recall correctly) is a professional orchestra violin player in NZ. We chatted our about life as musicians!
Simon was such a special person; I feel like I've known him for long time. He enriched my life, and so many others' during his short life. Scientifically, his legacy will be remembered for decades and centuries to come.
This is heartbreaking news. I met Simon during my graduate studies at Davis, and I was amazed by the spirit of kindness, brilliance, and enthusiasm that pervaded all that he did. I will never forget the many discussions I had with him, and I know that, like countless other students and colleagues, I will continue to be inspired by his memory. I will miss Simon's infectious smile and boundless energy so much; it was the greatest privilege to have known him. My deepest condolences to his family.
ReplyDeleteSimon and I overlapped most of our graduate careers in Liz's lab at UCSF. Like many, I've always been impressed by Simon's ability to 'think genetically'. It always seemed like his brain was wired like an epistasis diagram. Our paths diverged in graduate school, but met again when he began working on centromeres and we ended up in similar scientific circles. As usual, I learned a lot whenever we spoke about work. I could go on about all the wonderful things his collaborators and colleague have already said about his enthusiasm and dedication to his field and science in general, but I won't reiterate what others can say better than I can.
ReplyDeleteMy more vivid memories of Simon don't involve work as much. I remember how much he taught me about jazz. Whenever we spoke about this I took notes about musicians I had never heard of and bought those CDs down in the Haight. I was never disappointed by his recommendations. I also remember how voracious Simon was, not only for science, but for food. When we talked outside of work (or in lab) it was often about food. Discovering the food of San Francisco is something we both got to enjoy together, even if we rarely sat together at a meal. I recall once when he and Liz and I did eat together at Grandeho sushi in Cole Valley. Liz was treating us, maybe for a paper or grant, and we sat in the front by the window. I think I was at the beginning of trying sushi and mostly did not understand the menu and ordered some salmon roe. In fact, I think I ordered a few kinds of roe not realizing what it was. I ate some and did not like it so much. Liz graciously declined eating any, stating that it was not her favorite either. I honestly did not want another bite and was a bit mortified that my PI had ordered this expensive food that I did not want to eat. Simon swooped in and finished the plate. He was always a 'wee bit peckish' so this was nothing to him. I am not sure I ever told him how grateful I was that he helped me finish that sushi.
Simon was so enthusiastic about science and life and I know the world will be a less interesting place without Simon there to be a cheerleader for the things he loved.
Christopher D. Smith
Simon was a great scientist and a wonderful collaborator. All the people who interacted with him enjoyed it so much... He was incredibly brilliant and generous.
ReplyDeletePersonally, Simon was much more than a collaborator, he was a real friend. As many people, I shared some food experiences with him (Notably an amazing dinner in a Japanese restaurant in S.F, which I well remember my entire life). When he visited us in Versailles, we went to my second favorite restaurant, because my first choice was closed that day. As expected when Simon is here, we had a great time. I was delighted because Simon really enjoyed the food. Since, he was always joking about it, saying that he was wondering what can be my first favorite restaurant in Versailles. I was looking forward to invite him to this place and I really cannot accept that this will never happen….
My thoughts go to the Simon’s friends and to his family. We will all miss you so deeply.
Danny Geelen August 29, 2012
ReplyDeleteI have met Simon at a meeting in Melbourne. The contact with him was very open and honest and he was able to instantly make you feel at ease. I really enjoyed talking to him about his background and he had interesting viewpoints about the interaction between people. That conversation at the dinner table in Melbourne will stay in my memory. On the scientific front he was clearly very bright and excited about his science. He talked fast and thought two steps ahead, not inhibited by secrecy or other issues that can hinder an open conversation. It is regretful that we have to miss such an amical and cool scientist.
I had only seen Simon once - back in the summer of 2009 when I attended an orientation session for parents of incoming freshmen. That year the official professorial lecture was given by Simon - how fortunate we were! I was in awe of his enthusiasm and the scope of the work he was doing. I remember telling my son about this amazing professor and advised him to try to take any class he could from him. My heart breaks for Simon's students, colleagues, friends and family. I hope Simon's parents can take away some joy in understanding how very special he was to so many people, even to those of us who had never met him but only needed less than an hour to be transformed by his marvelous exuberance.
ReplyDeleteSimon you are a science hero! We will sadly miss you but keep on with the good work you have begun. Justin Borevitz
ReplyDeleteI met Simon during Maize meeting in 2011 where he presented an impressive plenary lecture on using CENH3 mutants to generate haploid plants. During my interaction with him, I found him very friendly and having much enthusiasm for science. His passing is unbelievable and big loss to science. Simon, you will be missed. RIP.
ReplyDeleteSimon was a wonderful roommate, a phenomenal scientist, and an even better person. He was a foodie before I even knew what the term meant and I still have fond memories of our roommate dinners together in San Francisco.
ReplyDeleteSimon, you have touched so many people in your life and work. You will be missed, but never forgotten.
I've met him in the GI Lab as a patient and I have to say that despite his condition, I have never heard him complain, even if his visit to us has become more frequent. He always greets us with a warm smile. He might be gone now but I will never forget him. Actually, ever since I learned about his death, I think about him everyday. Fly Simon...
ReplyDeleteI only met Simon a few times at meetings. Each time he left such a strong and positive impression on me, not only scientifically, but also as a truly generous, vibrant and infinitely kind person. I think we will always remember him this way.
ReplyDeleteIt is very sad and a big loss to our scientific community as Simon was one of the most promising young scientists I have met in recent times. He will be very much missed.
My sincere condolences to his family.
OV
He is a wonderful scientist. I met him in WSU Pullman. He was there for a seminar regarding the centromere mediated haploid production system. He was energetic and vibrant.
ReplyDeleteWe will miss him.
The only time I ever saw Simon was two summers ago in a lecture hall during my freshman orientation. He came in and gave a presentation about plant biology, explaining how it was a small, yet invaluable major for the future of life. I went home the next day, telling all my friends and family about everything I had learned from Simon and how I hoped that one day I could have him as a professor or perhaps even work with him as a research assistant. During the short time that I saw him, he persuaded me into reconsidering my major and inspired me to explore this field with a new appreciation for plants. It saddens me now that he is gone and I wish I could have known him personally.
ReplyDeleteSimon,
ReplyDeleteYou are missed dearly...mostly the way your face lights up when we talk about food, jazz, and science.
Shocked to learn Simmon passed away. Had attended his talk in Beijing. He is such
ReplyDeleteas wonderful speaker and outstanding scientist. The plant biology field lost a
true innovative scientist.
Shocked to learn this... First met him in last year's PAG meeting, such a energetic and smart guy.
ReplyDeleteincredible loss to plant science community,,,passionate and friendly,,
ReplyDeletecannot digest the fact that he is no more...
I was traveling today and thought about Simon. I did not know him personally but did hear him give a seminar once and was struck by his charisma and enthusiasm for science. I thought it might be worth sharing my memory of that seminar in this forum.
ReplyDeleteNot long after he discovered how a GFP-H3 transgene could be used to create haploid plants from diploid parents he came to Indiana University to give a seminar. He made a very funny joke at the beginning of the seminar. At that time he must have been an assistant professor UC Davis but the flyer for his seminar listed him as an associate professor. So, he started the talk by saying something like "I see that my seminar flyer has me listed as an associate professor. When I boarded the plane in California to come here I was an assistant professor so it is a great feeling to know that I received tenure and was promoted during the flight!" That made a lot of people laugh.
He went on to describe his lab's discovery and point out that his postdoc deserved a lot of credit for pursuing what probably seemed like a genotyping error at the time. He spent much of his time talking about the possibilities for this new technology in other plants and the diploid organisms which are known to, at times, naturally produce haploid offspring. It was one of the best seminars I ever heard and I imagine that I will remember it for the rest of my life. Simon was, without a doubt, a great scientist and a memorable man.
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