In Memoriam — Alma Dal Co
Our dear colleague Alma Dal Co tragically passed away in an under water spearfishing accident on 14 November 2022.
Only 33 years old, she was a stellar scientist and was one of the youngest Assistant Professor ever appointed at the University of Lausanne. She joined our Department of Computational Biology in September 2021 and was heading a dynamic research group. We are devastated and miss her immensely.
Our department is losing an exceptional scientist, an inspiring teacher, a caring mentor, and above all a generous and cheerful colleague.
With degrees in physics and music, and a highly dynamic and collaborative research programme combining cutting-edge aspects of computational biology, microbiology, imaging, microfluidics, and engineering, Alma embodied the ideals of interdisciplinary science, and was a true modern polymath. She loved to connect concepts, ideas, and techniques and people across disciplinary and institutional boundaries.
After only one year in the department, she had already established a productive, competitively funded research programme, and a rapidly growing international reputation.
She was attentive to the needs of her group, which she has led with contagious joy and energy.
Alma further demonstrated her commitment to training the new generation of biologists by proposing multiple courses in the Bachelor and Master program of the FBM.
We will miss her intelligence, charisma, enthusiam and passion for science.
The outpouring of grief and support from the local and wider community is a testament to how deeply Alma touched us all. We hope to transmit those personal messages to her family and we started compiling an electronic memory book available here .
