Last week we received news that our beloved colleague Erik van Doorn passed away as a result of a fatal bicycle accident. From his appointment in 1985 to what was then called the 'Technische Hogeschool Twente', until his retirement in 2014, Erik was a highly valued member of the academic staff of the Department of Applied Mathematics.
Also after his retirement he continued to visit the department several times a week to continue his beloved research into birth-death processes and orthogonal polynomials.
He was an internationally renowned scientist, highly respected for his research, and a welcome speaker at many conferences. At the same time, he was an excellent teacher, who was able to present complex material during traditional lectures in a clear and structured way, using handwritten slides that were superior to many a PowerPoint presentation.
Above all else, Erik was a very pleasant and amiable person. He enjoyed life, had many interests and a good sense of humor, and was always willing to listen and help where this was needed. As a result, both students and colleagues loved him.
We very much regret that he was so crudely taken from our midst, and we will miss him enormously. We wish his wife Janny and further relatives much strength in dealing with this tragic and sudden loss.
On behalf of the board of the faculty of Electrical Engineering Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS).
