It is still hard to wrap my head around the fact that we lost Jay last week. Jay’s loss leaves a hole in my professional and personal life that will be impossible to fill. As we're coping with his loss, I want to share a few photos and memories of him.

Jay was an incredible scientist, but what made him truly special was the type of person he was. Kind, caring and inclusive. He cared deeply for everyone in his group, past and present. Despite working in a competitive field, he truly believed that there was room for everyone.

He loved his family and communicated the importance of work-life balance through his actions. Everyone around the department knew how much he cared for his wife and sons. He regularly opened his home to the lab and made us all feel like family.

He also cared about bigger issues in science. He was faculty advisor for the postdoc association and strongly advocated for fair and standardized pay at the school. Postdocs from various labs would often tell me how important his advocacy was for getting these changes implemented

Jay shared his enthusiasm for films with the lab through his longstanding movie night tradition. His favorite movies had sci-fi themes relating to aging and immortality. The mixed reactions to his picks (like Zardoz) never dampened his eagerness to share.

Jay was truly an irreplaceable scientist and person, and is missed dearly by his family, lab and colleagues. I know I speak for many who knew him when I say we will never forget Jay and always strive to carry forward his personal and professional legacy.