budapest semester in mathematics combinatorics coursenotes

#BUDAPEST SEMESTER IN MATHEMATICS COMBINATORICS COURSENOTES CODE#

I remember fondly his kindness, advice and encouragement, when he saw me being tense at ISIT 2011 in St.

#BUDAPEST SEMESTER IN MATHEMATICS COMBINATORICS COURSENOTES CODE#

I benefited much in my pre-academic occupation from his clear understanding of the practical aspects of communications of the time, suggesting to look at the cut-off rate as a simple and practical figure of merit (irrespective of the fact that the actual designed code may not reach that rate). This combined with his kindness, and a direct and friendly approach, treating a student as an equal, is something which is impossible to forget. I was amazed then, and still am, by his unmatched abilities to convey ideas and mature perspectives in a simple, clear, and understandable way. I remember meeting Jim as a PhD student at the Technion. Israel Bar-David, who was a close friend of Jim and Lis. I first met Jim through my PhD advisor, Prof. It is as if I am talking about a senior colleague and a friend who is still with us. I feel rather strange to be standing here and talking in memoriam of James Massey, a towering figure in the field of Information Theory for decades. James Massey, In Memoriam, ISIT 2013, Istanbul, July 8, 2013 I would consider it an achievement if I can pass half of his generosity on me and my family to the junior people in the community. In addition to his remarkable scholarship, his great generosity is a legacy to the information theory community. He is the only person I know in the community who would call Tom Cover “Thomas”. He was quite conscious then and could still remember the names of my wife and my daughter. Nevertheless, Prakash Narayan (also visiting Gerhard) managed to talk to Jim on the phone. Otherwise I certainly would have paid Jim a visit. I learned about Jim’s illness from Gerhard Kramer during my visit to him in May, but only two days before my departure for Iceland. I was expecting to see Jim at ISIT in Istanbul. I remember that tons of tourists still went there to “see” the statue as if it were still there. The thieves blew off the base of the statue and the statue fell into the river. During that week, there was an unsuccessful attempt to steal the Little Mermaid. We stayed with him and Lis in their apartment, and Jim showed us his boat. In 2003, my wife and I visited Jim at Copenhagen. That time I stayed with the Costellos in their apartment in Zurich. I visited him at ETH when I was on my way to ITW in Poznan, Poland. I had been in touch with Jim throughout the years. I think he sold the house a few years afterwards. I cannot remember the name of the town anymore. At that time Jim had a summer home in a small town in Switzerland, and he kindly offered us a stay there as his wedding gift to us. After he had promised to be my reference, he attended very single talk of mine at ISIT (every 18 months then) for a few years. Jim was very kind to be my reference for a few times early in my career, including for my application to CUHK where I stay until now. After the workshop I asked Toby why this Swiss professor spoke perfect English. Other than Jim’s talk and my own talk I was not able to understand any other talk because I did not know French.

During my stay Gerard Cohen and other ENST folks organized a workshop on coding theory and invited Jim as the keynote speaker. I was on leave at ENST in Paris in the fall semester of 1986 when I was studying for my PhD degree at Cornell with Toby Berger. I will remember him with deep and sincere gratitude and respect. I was strongly influenced by Jim, he was my role model in many ways. I am already starting to speak of my own personal experiences. This was not a strict instruction, but rather a gentle one that constantly teaches and encourages. Quality of thinking, quality of writing, quality of communicating, quality in treating people with respect. Quality was something that was important to Jim. This community was important to him, and through his care and support it became a better place with better people. Andrew Viterbi wrote in a blog about Jim recently that Jim was everyone’s mentor in the information theory community. And, as time went on, one learned that he influenced many people behind the scenes, supporting their careers, saying good things. Jim influenced many people by his personality. There was this positive and focused interest in who you are. Jim was an extraordinary person, I don’t know of anyone who was not impressed after meeting him.

Budapest semester in mathematics combinatorics coursenotes