Scott on the cutting-edge...

Hi all - further to Bruce's post, I want to speak about Scott's work professionally (yes, he occasionally was professional!) for those of his friends & family who may know little, if anything of it. I worked with Scott from 2002 onwards - literally to today (as we were about to start a new project together) - first at RAND then subsequently at DGI (the company he was working for). Without an ounce of hyperbole or feigned flattery in toasting his life, Scott was really and truly working at the cutting-edge of his field - indeed, the number of people not only doing but achieving what he has been in the world could be counted on one hand. Scott's work on blending the cognitive and neuro sciences with security concerns was - to put it mildly - ground-breaking. Other aspects of his more public work - exemplified through some of his RAND publications - were considered to be the leading studies on their topics. In our professional circles - of colleagues and clients - Scott was immensely respected, with a reputation that extended far outside of the US (and even far outside of his own mind! :-) ) His professional colleagues have been united in both grief and praise for him - and equally all considered him a great friend and a truly wonderful co-worker. I know very few other people who really deserve the moniker of "unique" - from his infectious good-humour and his (ahem) rich language to his recitations of the tactics of different magicians to a roomfull of intelligence and security people (all hanging-off his every word) - and even to his propensity to rise suddenly from a meeting to announce that "well, I have to go home and walk my dog" (which we thought was a euphemism initially!), Scott was truly one wonderfully-unique individual.

For my part, our conversations would move with ease from talking about cyber-warfare and counter-deception activities to discussing the latest episodes (over the years) of Buffy, BSG, Sarah Connor and other pop-culture touch-points. Our frequent and random contacts through Skype, email and phone-calls across the time-zones (I live in the UK) were always eagerly anticipated and deeply satisfying - as Scott was far more than just my work colleague: over the years, he became my great friend, an amazingly bright star (as one of you said) in my group of friends whose diminishing has (as a colleague of ours put it) darkened the world a little. I would like to think that he is hanging-about in that netherworld of the Buffyverse - with that ever-present, supremely serene smile on his face - watching us all and saying "ah, I see....", taking it all in good-humoured stride as he did everything.

As someone else has said (but with slightly more culture-vulture credo): frackin' Gerwehr. Man, I'll miss my friend.

Dogs

"Ooooh, how cuuuute!" and "Ahhhhh, look at that sweetie!" Ali and Scott consider new pups as the family gathered and played at Kara and Ben's, Christmas, 2005.

Gerwehr - 22 years... my friend

These 2 photos are funny to me... the one from 1986, we hardly knew each other. The recent one- I'm sure he said something totally inappropriate, as I feigned shock.

Every two years Scott & Ali participated in the Hixon-Scott/Carter/Friends gathering at Thanksgiving time. We use to gather in Joshua tree, but in recent years it has been at the Loch Leven Conference Grounds. Scott's never ending contributions on the condition of the world and it's possibilities for settling differences in a more human fashion were mesmerizing and awesome. Besides smiling a lot and contributing happiness he enjoyed the mountain setting of Loch Leven. His life and style has made a contribution to the global family and we will miss his thoughtful ideas and multiply appreciations for each and every one of us!

From Bruce

Those of us who knew Scott, knew him both as a sensitive, loving person and as a person who was keenly interested in in-depth discussions of a multitude of topics. Nevertheless, a blog about Scott would not be complete without some references to his professional accomplishments. Here's a start:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/BookSearch/results.asp?ATH=Scott+Gerwehr

Wednesday I came across this

... and I was intending to forward it to Scott, knowing he'd probably already seen it.  But had he seen it accompanied by a taunt from me about his childish obsession with Mr. Octopus and the rest of the Lovecraft gang?  I don't think so!

Just imagining how he would have reacted to me calling his beloved madness-inducing, all-devouring Great Old One "Mr. Octopus" makes me smile.  But briefly.  F****ing Gerwehr.