In Memoriam: Federico Beretta
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Federico Beretta on December 29, 2025, at the age of 84.
Federico was born on December 31, 1941, in Naples, Italy. He studied at the Università di Napoli, where he earned his Laurea in Chemical Engineering in 1969. In 1970, he began working as a researcher at the Istituto di Ricerche sulla Combustione, part of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR).
From 1978 to 1979, he served as a visiting researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, USA, where he focused on pollution reduction from power plants. He began his career at the CNR as a researcher, was promoted to senior researcher in 1988, and became Research Director in 1991. He later served as Chair of the institute from 1993 to 1994.
His research primarily focused on soot and pollutant formation in premixed flames; optical diagnostics of atomization and combustion of liquid fuels; and strategies for reducing emissions from power plants. He was internationally recognized as an expert on the environmental impact of power plants. In 1984, he received the Silver Medal from the Combustion Institute for the best paper presented at the 20th International Symposium on Combustion, which dealt with soot diagnostics in spray flames.
Federico co-founded the Mediterranean Combustion Symposia, a conference series designed to provide combustion scientists from the Mediterranean region with the opportunity to share cutting-edge research and promote collaborative research efforts.
Over the years, his research activities were supported by various industrial partners. Although his demeanor could sometimes appear gruff and aloof, he was an exceptionally generous and supportive mentor to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as postdoctoral researchers. He was widely remembered for his kindness, generosity, and adventurous driving style – often with a cigar in his hand.
The Italian Section of the Combustion Institute
