Dr. Kostadinka (Dida) Bizheva’s passing is a tremendous loss to the Canadian and international biophotonics community, to her many friends and colleagues, to her students, and to her family. To mourn her passing, celebrate her life, and cherish her memories, here are some personal recollections of the wonderful individual that Dida was.
In a word, Dida was a delight! It was indeed a pleasure to interact with her as a colleague , fellow researcher, and friend. She was positive and creative, dependable and altruistic, and overall a kind of person you just wanted on your team. She was a responsible (and responsive!) research scientist, always willing to contribute to a joint grant proposal, organize or chair a session at a conference, serve on a research panel, help edit a scientific journal, offer constructive feedback to a colleague, support a new research initiative and so forth. She brought tremendous scientific acumen, positivity and “can do” attitude to these many interactions. She was also devoted to her many students and trainees, mentoring the next generation of scientists by spending countless hours in the lab and in the classroom with enthusiasm, dedication, and good cheer.
So, while we mourn the untimely passing of our valued friend and colleague, let these few selected vignettes serve towards the deserved celebration of her rich life, and also guide each of us in our own personal quests to do better. Life is short and unpredictable and precious, so carpe diem! RIP, dear Dida!
Alex Vitkin, Medical Biophysics and Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto