JENE A. GOLOVCHENKO

My deepest condolences, may the memories of the wonderful times you shared together bring a smile and joy in your heart. Please find comfort in the encouraging words of John 6:40 it gives us the hope of seeing our loved ones again.

Offering our sincere condolences. May the God of love comfort your heart and make you firm in your time of grief. 2 Thessalonians 2:16,17.

Our son was one of Jene's former graduate students. We offer our condolences to his family with profound gratitude for Jene's investment in the scholarship, work ethic, and personal development of each of his students. We will never forget him.

Jene loved working on hard problems, and thinking about exotic things. More than once, when someone would put forward an outlandish solution, I heard Jene say, "That idea's so crazy, it just might work!" And some of them did work, especially after long hours spent refining the scheme. Jene loved teaching. For the last 10 years, he'd conduct a freshman seminar lab once a semester. These were really science labs, where a team of 1st-semester freshman would work to solve a problem. He preferred getting the freshman when they were brand new students, before they became spoiled.

Jene was one of the most original thinkers I have ever met. His interests were very broad, as was reflected in the wide range of experimental projects he engaged in during his lifetime, but also in also in his intellectual inquiries into the fundamental concepts of modern physics, such as quantum mechanics and electromagnetism. His Freshman seminar was much admired for the way Jene was able to engage beginning students, to give them hands-on experimental experience, and to get them to think like a physicist. His departure represents a very great loss for Harvard and for our department. Please accept my sincere condolences.