In Loving Memory of - Morgan State University

I would like to thank the TRB Committee on Artificial Intelligence and AdvancedComputing Applications for allowing me to participate in this Commemorative Sessiondedicated to Prof. Shinya Kikuchi. It is an honor for me to express the entire EuroWorking Group on Transportation, and my heartfelt personal thanks for the teachingwhich Prof. Kikuchi gave us in such a friendly fashion, during the years of our fruitfulcollaboration.For many of us, he was a shining example, from both human and professional pointsof view, and he fired much of our work with his decisive and stimulating enthusiasm.Many members of our group working on soft computing in the transportation sectorprofited by the advice, cooperation and constant stimuli which he always gave sogenerously. He was able to make even the most complex problems simple: what wasfascinating and attractive to him became the same for us, as he transmitted hisenthusiasm for research and extended his humanity to all those who were fortunateenough to know him well.To give an example of the contribution given by Prof. Kikuchi, I remember the recentwords of Michele Ottomanelli, in occasion of the opening of the Special Session onEmerging Theories and Applications in Transportation Science of the 17th Online WorldConference on Soft Computing in Industrial Applications, dedicated to Prof. Kikuchi:“The value of the person and of the scientist can be summarized in the fact that most ofthe authors of the papers accepted in this session worked or collaborated with him andwere linked by deep friendship as well. We can honestly say that this session couldn’thave taken place without his pioneering research and propulsion to share ideas anddiscussion”.My friend and colleague Mauro Dell’Orco of the Bari Politecnico has asked me to notehere the essential contribution made by Prof. Kikuchi in organizing the Euro WorkingGroup on Transportation Meetings in Bari, Italy, in 2002 and 2006. Prof. Kikuchiconstantly flanked Mauro in his difficult task, contributing to the great success of theConferences.Personally, I remember with great pleasure the lesson Prof. Kikuchi gave during the2009 Euro Working Group Meeting in Padova on “The Analysis of Uncertainty in theStudy of Transportation: The Possibilistic Perspective”, and during the seminar on“Advances in Uncertainty Treatment in Transportation System Analysis”, organizedduring his last visit to Padova in September 2011.It was on that occasion that I was also able to meet his wife Laura, and my colleaguesand I spent some pleasant moments with them during our visit to Verona. I would liketo take this opportunity of sending her my affectionate good wishes.I would like to conclude this brief memory by expressing once again, on behalf of theEWGT members and of myself, our deep gratitude for his lessons, for his dedication toresearch and for his teaching, which inspire and will continue to inspire us during ourdaily work. Thank you, Shinya.Riccardo Rossi, Ph.D.University of Padova, ItalyProfessor Shinya Kikuchi was one of the pioneers on application of Soft Computing inthe field of Transportation Engineering.I met him during my post-doctoral research at USA. He was host of me at NorthernVirginia Center of Virginia Tech in 2006. I worked with him for 6 months. This periodwas one of the best time that I have ever passed in my life.I learned many things about soft computing, fuzzy optimization and related issuesfrom him. He had a large scale vision and capacity. He was always supportive andenthusiastic. He encouraged me about my research subjects during my stay at VT. Hehad an ability to evaluate the research subjects in many and different points of view.In spite of his age and health problems he was working very hard and enthusiastically.He had liked to participate and organize the meetings especially TRB, ISTTT, EWGTand etc. He liked to meet the researchers to each other in the world. I met manyresearchers by this way.Besides his scientific capacity, he was very kind and sensitive person and a realgentlemen. He had cared about personal relations. He had liked to send postcards tohis friends in the world while he was travelling.I will always remember him both his scientific capacity and his sensitive personality. Ibelieve that many young researchers will inspire new scientific works from hisresearch and ideas.Rest in peace, respectable Professor. Transport Researchers will miss you…Yetis Sazi Murat, Ph.D.Panukkale University, Turkey20Lastly, I would also like to recall the great contribution Prof. Kikuchi gave towardenhancing the knowledge of young researchers, shown by his fond attachment to theHelsinki Summer School and his willingness to allow young students to work in hislaboratory. During the six months which Gregorio, my PhD student, spent at VirginiaTech, he still recalls Prof. Kikuchi's teaching, and his courtesy and humanity.21