In Memoriam: Federico Beretta

Dr. Federico Beretta, age 84, passed away on December 29, 2025. Born on December 31, 1941, in Naples, Italy, he was a longtime member of The Combustion Institute and an internationally respected researcher in combustion and the environmental impact of power generation.

Dr. Beretta earned his Laurea in Chemical Engineering from the Università di Napoli in 1969 and joined the Istituto di Ricerche sulla Combustione of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) in 1970. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he advanced from researcher to Senior Researcher in 1988, became Research Director in 1991, and served as Chair of the institute from 1993 to 1994. From 1978 to 1979, he served as a visiting researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he focused on pollution reduction from power plants.

His research areas addressed soot and pollutant formation in premixed flames, optical diagnostics of spray and combustion processes, and strategies for reducing emissions from power plants. He was internationally recognized for his contributions to understanding the environmental impact of power plants.

In 1984, Dr. Beretta received the Combustion Institute Silver Medal for the best paper presented at the 20th International Symposium on Combustion and co-founded the Mediterranean Combustion Symposia. The Combustion Institute honors his accomplishments and the lasting contributions of scientific leaders who advance knowledge and benefit diverse communities around the world. Dr. Beretta’s obituary provides further details about his life and career.