The scientist from Córdoba Alejandro Matías Fracaroli, 44 years old, was found dead this Sunday in Germany, according to police sources. The body was found around 12:15 p.m. local time in a stream in a wooded area of Karlsruhe-Rintheim, a city located in the southwest of the country. The main hypothesis is that the researcher may have fallen accidentally and drowned.
German authorities reported that the autopsy will be performed in the coming hours to determine the precise causes of death. The EFE agency indicated that, for now, the police consider it to have been an accident and that there are no signs of violence. The discovery occurred after several days of intense searching following the scientist being reported missing.
Fracaroli had been in Germany since the end of August, participating in a nanotechnology project at the Institute of Nanotechnology of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The Tuesday before he was found, he did not show up for work and his phone remained off, which alerted his colleagues. The missing person report was filed by his laboratory colleagues after noticing his absence.
An outstanding career in Argentine science
Alejandro Fracaroli was a researcher at Conicet and was part of the Department of Organic Chemistry at the Faculty of Chemical Sciences of the National University of Córdoba. He was also a member of the Córdoba Institute of Research in Physical Chemistry (INFIQC). His work abroad was part of a key academic internship for his professional development and for international scientific cooperation.
The scientist was a specialist in the development of nanoscopic fabrics with industrial applications, a field with a high impact on technological innovation. During his career, he received recognition for his contributions to the study of advanced materials applied to various productive sectors. At KIT, he worked alongside Professor Frank Biedermann, a world leader in his field of research.
Married and father of two children, Fracaroli had planned to return to Córdoba in December, once the internship was completed. His sudden death caused shock in the Argentine scientific community, where he was considered a young leader with great potential. Currently, Argentine diplomatic authorities in Germany are collaborating with the procedures for the repatriation of the body.
