It was with great shock and completely unexpected that we received the news last Friday that Prof. Dr. Ing. Paul Havinga passed away.
Paul was a renowned and respected scientist with both deep and broad knowledge of the field of computer science. His scientific influence was vast, not only through his countless, widely cited publications. Like no other, he mastered the art of exploring (sometimes truly challenging) theory and then translating it into solutions that found their way into practice. That practice was also a part of his daily life: he founded and supervised several startups to transform those solutions into services and products. If there was ever a scientist who represented the entrepreneurial spirit of the University of Twente, it was Paul.
He stood for and leaned on, the people around him, particularly the members of the Pervasive Systems group. Indifferent to hierarchy, he mastered the art of collaboration, pushing and pulling towards results, and then sharing successes. This attitude earned him a unique reputation: everyone knew Paul, and Paul knew everyone. Not only will we miss a strong, kind personality, but above all, we will miss a wonderful colleague.
At the secretariat of the Pervasive Systems group (Zilverling 5058), you can find condolences cards for colleagues and students. There is also the option to leave an online condolence.
On Friday 10 May, there will be an opportunity to say goodbye from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Koninksweg 28, 7597 LW in Saasveld. The funeral service and burial will be held privately.
We wish Josephine, Pieter, Alexander, and Hélène much strength.
Dr. Özlem Durmaz, Associate Professor, on behalf of the Pervasive Systems group
