It is with great sorrow that I have to announce that my former PhD supervisor and friend Erica Melis passed away in the end of February 2011.
Erica was internationally renowned for her research that lead to the development of the ActiveMath system. Coming from the area of Artificial Intelligence for Theorem Proving where, working together with Jörg Siekmann, she achieved a breakthrough in the field of knowledge-based proof planning, she started working in the area of Artificial Intelligence in Education in 2000.
Within only a couple of years, she established herself as highly respected researcher in the field and presented her work on adaptive Web-based learning environments and semantics for learning at all major conferences and journals. She was able to acquire major project funding and to supervise several students in the 10 years that followed.
Erica was also an enthusiastic painter, as you can see on her Web page. The picture above is one of my favorites.
I had the privilege of working with her during these years, first as a MSc student and then as a PhD student. Erica was not only an exemplary scientist, but also a very kind, trusting and open hearted supervisor, a great teacher and a mentor. She taught those entrusted to her what it means to be a scientist, by living it, and supported us in any way she could to live up to our potential. She will be greatly missed.
