from Michael Overton

I have just returned from the incredibly moving memorial for Sam Roweis that was held this afternoon [17 January] in New York. Everyone who spoke, including Sam's wife and his father, was amazingly warm, coherent, thoughtful and sincere and there could not have been many dry eyes in the room. We in the CS department at NYU are devastated by this shocking loss, and our hearts go out to his family and friends left behind. I did not know Sam well, but well enough that I was already very fond of him and well aware of his potential for enormous impact on our department. With his infectious enthusiasm, great sense of humor, broad interests, thoughtfulness and common sense, he already played a major role on our department even in the short time he was with us. We will miss him tremendously.