It was five minutes to eleven at night on March 1st when I received a short e-mail from Katherine Faber, Professor at Northwestern University. The subject was “Sad news”.

I was in a business trip in the beautiful town of Granada, in Andalusia, Spain. The capital of the last of the Hispanic-Arabic kingdoms, conquered by the Christians in the late 15th century. The romantic narrow streets, the Albaizyn and Sacromonte quarters and the impressive Alhambra castle still recall those ancient times. It was a formal dinner with political and academic leaders of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin-American universities. I was representing the University of Seville.

My dinner ended when I opened the message in my phone and had to read several times its content. I just could not believe it. Just could not find the words to describe my emotions and nobody to tell them. My friend, my master, Jules Lazar Routbort had passed away unexpectedly a few hours ago. It was devastating.

The day before, I had received the nicest e-mail from him, showing his pride and happiness for me for a recent personal achievement. Always the same warm words, the same undemanding support.

It all started 25 years ago. Jules visited my university when I had just completed my B.S. in Physics, and I had joined the university research labs to pursue a Ph.D. in Materials Science. I was introduced to Jules by my group leader. They were starting a new collaboration. Jules provided me with a few pieces of the material on which my research was to focus: a new type of advanced structural ceramic. Then he talked to me in length about the project. I immediately liked him: energetic, open, friendly,… he was very different from the classic scientist I was used to in Spain, still very formal, distant and wearing a tie in the labs. One day, he showed up in short pants and sandals, to the horror of the older ladies in the faculty.

The project included spending three months a year in Argonne’s Materials Science Division for the next three years to perform several specific experiments under Jules supervision. My first visit was in 1988. I met my life-lasting friends Dr. Kenneth Charles Goretta and Dr. Nan Chen. Jules and Anja Routbort, Ken and Nan became my “Chicago family”.

In the lab, Jules taught me not only science but also what to be a scientist was: to enjoy the life of hard, independent and self-demanding work; open-minded and intelligent friends, from all over the World, now at my reach. I also loved teaching, so my decision on an academic career was easy.

In June 1991 Jules was a member of my thesis committee. Later that year, a young pos-doc, I joined Argonne’s Materials and Components Technology Division (now Energy Technology Division), as a Research Scientific Associate in Jitendra Singh’s group. Having Ken two offices away, and Jules just in another wing of Building 212 guaranteed that I was going to feel comfortable and happy in this new appointment.

This time, Jules had a surprise for me: “Antonio, I have arranged a girlfriend for you, so you don’t feel lonely in the cold Chicago Winter…”. I just joked about his ability as a matchmaker, but then I met Madelyn (today Professor Madelyn Marrero), a Puerto Rican engineer and Jules’ M.S. student, who shared late Dr. Steve Rothman’s office.

Jules, Anja, Ken and Nan came down to Puerto Rico in 1996 for my wedding with Madelyn. We have be married for 15 years now, and have young Antonio, age 13, and little Rosa, age 9. I had to concede: Jules was a good matchmaker; Ken and Nan have also been married for almost 20 years.

Professionally, I have co-authored tens of papers with Jules, organized several conferences, and kept contact through the years. In 2006, my career took a turn to academic administration, as I was appointed Vice Rector of my university. On February 23^rd this year; I have had the honour of being elected new Rector of the University of Seville for the period 2012-2016.

The University of Seville was founded in 1505, and today it is the second largest in Spain, with over 60.000 students and 4.500 academics. As they have always been close in the most important moments of my life, I had planed to invite the Routborts for the very formal and historic inauguration ceremonies, but Jules was not feeling quite well. Nothing led me to think that we were going to loose him.

Today Madelyn and I mourn in the distance our friend and master, and feel deeply for his family, especially for our beloved Anja.

Probably it is just a common place to say that I had liked to say goodbye to him and express my gratitude. May these words reach him in memoriam.