2nd February 1969 – 6th March 2025
At ISSI, we are mourning the sudden and untimely passing of Prof. Dr. Maurizio Falanga, on March 6, 2025, at his home in Münchenwiler.
An internationally renowned astrophysicist, and distinguished professor at the University of Bern, Maurizio Falanga was Director at ISSI since 2021, following 12 years of tenure as ISSI science programme manager. As an esteemed colleague and dear friend, Maurizio devoted his entire career to the advancement of space science and greatly contributed to the successes of the ISSI foundation.
We will forever remember his bright smile and warm personality, always ready to welcome the many visitors passing through ISSI’s doors, and his commitment and devotion to the institution. He will be greatly missed and never forgotten.
ISSI Staff
In honour of Maurizio Falanga, in lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the educational fund for his children to the following account: International Space Science Institute, Bern, IBAN: CH77 0023 5235 9024 8828 0, BIC/SWIFT: UBSWCHZH80A by mentioning “In memoriam Maurizio”.
The comments submitted here will be collected and delivered to the family.
To Maurizio’s dear family and friends around the world,
I am so sorry for the sudden loss of Maurizio. It will take time for us to accept what has happened. I saw Maurizio often at ISSI when I was on science committee and as part of ISSI teams. When I moved from the UK to Switzerland, he was supportive – always willing to give advice. But most of all, he was kind and funny. He spoke often about his beloved wife and children. And we got to see them sometimes on zoom calls! He also discussed recently how he was looking forward to retirement and spending more time with his family. It is such a tragic end to his life. We will all miss him.
I was deeply shocked by the extremely sad news about Maurizio. This was totally nexpected as we chatted and worked together just a month ago, and he was smiley and friendly as always. I knew Maurizio for nearly 20 years since the time he worked in Oulu. Mauricio was one of the most positive persons I knew.
He was a bright scientist and wonderful organiser, but even more important, he was an outstanding character full of positive attitude and friendship. Let us keep him in our hearts, memories and minds.
With sincere condolences,
Ilya
Somehow I happened to be at ISSI while Maurizio actually was starting to serve as program manager. Johannes was still active, and Vittorio was around, during the handover period with Maurizio himself, who seamlessly entered the morning Gipfeli routine in the lobby. During our temporal overlap at ISSI, I don’t recall any occasion in which he was not kind, smiling, cheerful, and welcoming with visitors and staff. Condolences.
My heartfelt condolences to Maurizio’s family, friends and all colleagues. It is hard to believe, and to imagine the ISSI without him. He will certainly be greatly missed.
I am extremely shocked by this terrible news. I cannot realize this is true. I have known Maurizio for quite a long time, first as a member of the ISSI scientific committee and later, as of 2013 until 2021, as director for Earth sciences. I very much appreciated working with Maurizio. He was an extremely friendly person, with a lot of empathy. He was also so cheerful and always in a good mood, and I liked to talk with him (in French…) on a variety of topics, not only those related to ISSI. I had a few opportunities to listen to him presenting his own research in astrophysics and I was also quite impressed.
This is a huge loss for ISSI and the community. I also think strongly to his wife and his children who must be devastated with grief. Life is sometimes cruel. He was too young to leave…
My heartfelt sympathies go out to Maurizio’s family, friends and colleagues.
I have had the pleasure of working with Maurizio from the early days on INTEGRAL and at ISSI where I have edited a couple of books. Maurizio was always incredibly supportive answering any question we might have and always encouraging us to explore a little more.
He will certainly be missed by the international space science community.
It is with great sadness that I learned of Maurizio’s passing. During my time at the ISSI he was a constant welcoming presence. Both an extremely able physicist and a kind and thoughtful human being.
Dear family, friends and colleagues of Maurizio, I am deeply thouched by the sudden happenings. Please accept hereby my condolences. Take care as good as possible. My very best regards Mirjam
I am shocked and saddened by the loss of Maurizio. I got to know Maurizio while I was still a student at the University of Basel when he gave a lecture on compact objects over 10 years ago. Since then we have crossed paths many times. I cannot believe that it was only 3 weeks ago that we last spoke. Thank you for all the support throughout the years!
My heartfelt condolences to Maurizio’s family and friends, and to the team at ISSI and the University of Bern.
It has been a shock for me to hear about Maurizio’s passing. I have known him since 2008, when I was finishing my PhD in Geneva working on INTEGRAL data. I met him later in many different occasions, including conferences and scientific visits. I was always looking forward to my trips to ISSI, where I knew he would greet me in a very friendly way and we would enjoy lively and interesting scientific discussions. He will be dearly missed by all the Swiss astronomical community. I extend my condolences to his family and close relatives.
Maurizio represented both ISSI’s present and future, but also the living memory of the Institute past. He started as the first heir of Vittorio Manno as Science Program Manager, at a time when Johannes Geiss still showed up on a daily basis; then he became the first heir of Ruedi von Steiger as the only full time Director, in charge of all the Administration tasks. These roles made him a pillar for the Institute and its staff, but what made him also so special for all of us were his friendly manners and his sympathetic support.
It is hard and sad to think of ISSI without him, both at the professional and the personal levels.
ISSI is a family for many of us, and we share the sorrow of Maurizio’s wife, children and relatives.
We will miss him deeply and forever.
It is with great sadness that I write these few lines. I worked with Maurizio during my two-year post-doctoral contract in Earth Sciences. His scientific rigour and passion for research were a real pleasure to work with, and he was very generous in supporting his colleagues. Above all, his smile and good humour meant that I always enjoyed talking to him. I have learnt a lot from him and I have been very fortunate to have known Maurizio, who will be greatly missed.
With sincere condolences.
I was working at ISSI when he started as the successor of Vittorio. I remember him as a very kind man, often with a smile. He joined right in, as it seemed effortlessly. My deepest condolescences to his family and friends as well as the ISSI family.
Maurizio’s warm welcome and passion for science made ISSI the special place that it is known for; for international collaboration, breakthrough ideas, and new friendships. My sincere condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.
I still can’t believe Maurizio is no longer with us. A rare and dear friend, we had met over ten years ago when he was supporting and directing ISSI Beijing, I was a member of the science committee and he would always help out enormously on all matters. We became close during my visit at ISSI two years ago and began collaborating, together with a student, Sergio. Maurizio loved science and astrophysics, he was always saying that he did not have enough time for his research, but his calm, modest demeanor, acumen, and intellectual honesty made discussions easy and progress natural. He visited UCLA with Monica and the children last fall, a beautiful and happy family. My heart goes out to them. And to ISSI, whose continued success owes so much to Maurizio’s efforts. Muor giovane colui cha’l cielo è caro. Maurizio, we will miss you dearly.
I am deeply touched by the untimely passing of Maurizio, a very kind person, bright astronomer and dedicated person. It was always a pleasure to meet and chat with him at ISSI or at other occasions in Switzerland and elsewhere. I am honoured to have followed his path as representative of Switzerland in the Astronomy & Astrophysics Board of Directors, a position he held for many years and for which he is well remembered among Board members. ISSI and Switzerland has lost a great human.
My sincere condoleances to his family and friends.
I am deeply saddened by the sudden loss of Maurizio. It was an honor to have known and interact with him at ISSI, and I will always remember his kindness and dedication. My thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time. Please accept my sincere condolences.
Good evening,
Through my career in several astronomical observatories, I remember Maurizio as an exceptionally attentive, insightful colleague. Even if we did not work together closely, there was always something to discuss. He will be missed greatly.
With sincere condolences
Volodymyr Savchenko
When I started my PhD in 2007 at APC/CEA Paris, Maurizio was already an experienced postdoc in the X-ray team. He rapidly became a radiant mentor and a good friend. His humor, his energy, his enthusiasm transcended all of our work sessions. Research can be very dry sometimes… But with Maurizio, it was always thrilling! “Magnifique” was his favorite saying. When he finally moved back to his beloved Switzerland to hold his first position at ISSI, I was very sad, because I knew how much I was going to miss the daily laughter, the amusing stories, the joint fever of data analysis on neutron stars… I remember that, to cheer me up, he told me this funny (apocryphal) Einstein quote : “I would like to die in Switzerland because, there, everything happens fifty years late”. I wish so much this was true. Thanks a million Maurizio for all you taught us.
Maurizio stood at the very foundations of the institution I currently lead, the International Space Science Institute-Beijing (ISSI-BJ), and through many years of diligent and dedicated service, he built up ISSI-BJ to where we are today. We are indeed incredibly grateful for his decisive leadership, his productivity and unwavering support, and his professionalism over the course of the more than seven years he eventually served as ISSI-BJ Executive Director. Maurizio was also an accomplished astrophysicist, as evidenced by (among others) the several hundred peer-reviewed publications he featured on as lead or co-author. He was looking forward to continuing his productive career for many years to come. Just in his mid-fifties, his sudden passing has come far too soon.
But Maurizio was more than a director, a scientist and a professional. Over the years, he had become a dear friend to many of us. His dry humour and insightful discussions lit up many of the conversations we will now treat as treasured memories. Personally, I was excited to catch up with him in May of this year, when I am due to travel to ISSI Bern on behalf of our Beijing-based institution. Alas, that won’t be possible any longer. A gaping hole has been left in the ISSI/ISSI-BJ family that will take time to fill and mend. Maurizio will be sorely missed by many of us. Although he has passed on, we will certainly not forget him, nor the warmth with which he always made us feel welcome.
Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Maurizio’s family, friends and colleagues. We wish you all much strength in coping with our common loss. On behalf of ISSI-BJ, but also as a personal friend, I would like to extend our heartfelt condolences.
All my condolences to Maurizio’s family, especially his wife and young children. I can still not realize that he has left us so early and suddenly – it seems so unrealistic. I am going to miss both a scientific competitor, collaborator, and a friend. Indeed, Maurizio and I got acquainted in 2005 while we were independently working on the same data to publish the same results… Instead, Maurizio kindly agreed to join efforts and write a common paper, which was just the first of a series where we swapped first-authorship. I learned a lot from Maurizio through our fruitful collaboration, and I am proud of having got the opportunity to put my name next to his.
Apart from being a hard worker, Maurizio was also a good friend, always very kind and happy to share his thoughts – in many languages!
Maurizio was a truly special person—warm, gentle, and kind. His warmth and infectious smile made everyone feel welcome and valued. I will always cherish the wonderful time I spent at ISSI in the summer of 2023, working there as a Johannes Geiss Fellow while Maurizio served as director. My deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. His spirit will live on in all of us who were fortunate enough to know him.
I want to offer my deepest condolences on Maurizio’s passing. Words cannot describe my sadness at losing such a wonderful person. My heart goes out to his family, friends, and colleagues. I have known Maurizio since he came to ISSI. He gave so much to ISSI in all possible ways; he was a great listener and advisor, always meeting anyone with a big smile. He was crucial for ISSI’s success and had a great vision for ISSI’s future. Maurizio, you will be missed so, so much.
I am still overwhelmed with shock and sadness by the passing of Maurizio. The memories of my interactions with him over the past decade remain vivid. I first met Maurizio in 2014 at ISSI-BJ in the National Space Science Center, where we discussed projects. Later, I received funding to visit Bern from 2016 to 2017. After returning to China, our collaboration continued uninterrupted, and together, we supervised several graduate students. He visited Xiangtan University several times, and I was also invited by Maurizio to visit ISSI frequently, even during the pandemic. Just last Tuesday, we were still discussing student supervision and future plans— that can no never be realized. To me, Maurizio was not only a mentor but also like an elder brother. His positive attitudes for everything inspired me. He will be missed.
Even as the days pass, I am still unable to fully accept that this heart-wrenching news could be reality. Over the past decade since the establishment of ISSI-BJ, Maurizio was far more than a mere executive director; he was an unwavering pillar, a confidant, and a leader whose wisdom illuminated my professional career. The countless memories of collaborating side by side, the shared challenges surmounted, and the laughter in between…
Today, with a heavy heart, I have to accept this terrible news that Maurizio already left us, but his spirit will forever permeate my mind and thought.
To his family, words seem woefully inadequate to convey the depth of my condolences. May you find some measure of comfort in the knowledge that Maurizio’s legacy lives on, not only in the remarkable work he accomplished but in the hearts of everyone he inspired. Let us come together to remember, to honor, and to cherish this professor who made an indelible mark on our lives.
Dear Maurizio, dear friends,
It’s such a painful news to learn about the sudden loss of Maurizio, a great man and a great scientist … All my thinking and my love to his family, friends and all persons that feel close to Maurizio. I met Maurizio when I was a post-doc researcher at ISSI, as young researcher as I was, Maurizio was helping me discovering and interacting with all those well-know scientists that meet at ISSI with always high standards and nice interactions. In the meantime, his family was establishing with a marvelous daughter together with the start of my family and my daughters. Such a loss, he will miss me a lot !
With my warmly condolences, Nico
This is a shocking event, which is very hard to put aside.
It is not only shocking for ISSI, but is also difficult to accept and digest
for those old acquaintances of Maurizio like me: this sudden unexpected
and unforseen premature departure from life at such an early age.
All my sympathies are with the mourning family.
It would be difficult to say more.
I was deeply touched by the news of Maurizio’s sudden passing.
Always open, welcoming and very positive, it was a real pleasure to discuss with him at the various ISSI events. A renowned astrophysicist, he was one of the pillars of the ISSI.
I address my warmest and most sincere condolences to all his family.
I am really sorry for Maurizio’s sudden passing. He was a great friend of the WTI, always willing to help and organize events with us. We miss him already. My sincere condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.
Maurizio was a wonderfully sunny person, friendly, and always open to people. Our communication in the early stages of his brilliant career brought much benefit in the scientific sense and much joy in human communication. It is an immense pity that he left us so early.
This is very sad and shocking news for me. I am a newly selected Postdoctoral Candidate who will start working at ISSI in June 2025. I am from Thailand currently and I never had a chance to meet Prof. Dr. Maurizio Falanga in person. I met Prof. Dr. Maurizio Falanga during my online interviews and he was very supportive and passionate about my research proposal. I still remembered his cheerful actions and bright smiles. I was looking forward to meeting him in ISSI. I will keep this memory of him as a cheerful and supportive Professor, and glad that I had a chance to meet him. I want to let you know my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
I am still in the shock at the news about Maurizio’s abrupt leaving. It’ll take us some time to accept this. For anyone who has worked together with him, this would be hard. We will remember his diligent and devoted work at ISSI-BJ; we will also remember his aspirations to achieve excellence in space science; and we will never forget his warm, welcoming smile and humor as a heartfelt friend and an ambassador of international cooperation in science.
The untimely COVID-19 frustrated his plan to visit Beijing, and we anxiously anticipated a possible reunion after the pandemic… So sad that this will not come true anymore.
My condolences are with his family and friends.
I am deeply saddened by this huge loss. Maurizio has always been one of the friendly faces I most associate with ISSI. I remember very fondly how he engaged with us at the previous ISSI Dinner just a few months ago.
This must be a shattering moment for his family. I hope they find some comfort in these devastating times, knowing that his ISSI family stands with them.
We shall miss dearly Maurizio and his invaluable leadership and contributions. May God almighty bless his soul and bestow grace and blessings on his family and friends to endure his untimely and sudden loss. Rest in peace dear friend.
I was shocked to I hear of Maurizio’s passing. I have known Maurizio for many years, first as a visitor to ISSI, then working with him as Chair of the Science Committee and later as Executive Director. He was always such a friendly, cooperative and kind person, a dear colleague and friend! Our last interactions were in December 2022 when we travelled together to Paris to sign a cooperation agreement between ESA and ISSI, and more recently when we discussed an ISSI Space Science Series volume on the Geoscience of Exoplanets. My thoughts are with his family, whom he loved dearly (photos of his kids were always the screensaver on his laptop), his friends and his colleagues at ISSI for whom he cared deeply. Travelling to Bern will never be the same. We will all miss him very much.
I am deeply disturbed by the heartbreaking news of Maurizio’s passing – far too soon in his life. It will take some time to fully realize he is no longer with us. It was always a pleasure to meet him at ISSI and elsewhere thanks to his open, kind, and positive spirit. Maurizio was an active member the Swiss Society for Astrophysics and Astronomy and served the scientific community as the Swiss representative in the Astronomy & Astrophysics Board of Directors for many years.
He will be greatly missed by the scientific community.
My heartfelt sympathies go out to his family, friends, and colleagues.
The sudden loss of Maurizio has been shocking and it is hard to accept it. With Maurizio I shared over the years fruitful projects appreciating his great positive attitude in solving problems. Maurizio was not only a scientist of great values but also a friendly and gentle person. We will miss him with great sorrow
I was shocked and deeply saddened to learn of Maurizio’s passing. As a regular visitor to ISSI in my capacity as member of the Science Committee, I remember with great fondness Maurizio’s humour, hospitality and professionalism. My heartfelt sympathies go to his family, friends and colleagues. He will be sorely missed.
I came to know Maurizio about two years ago when he expressed his wish to join CTAO.
Maurizio soon revealed his very friendly and gentle character.
He was always available to help and had a smile for everyone.
It was extremely unexpected this loss and I imagine how hard it is for his family. He was an estimated colleague and a very gentle person.
All my thoughts are for his family, Teresa
I got to know about him in 2022 during my search for an research internship (I was an undergrad back then) and Prof. Falanga was the one who gave me the opportunity to work with him as a Thinkswiss fellow at Unibe. I continued my work with him as a visiting scientist at ISSI later in 2023. Only because of his support, I got to learn a lot, travel Europe, make new friends and researchers, and have my career a strong boost. His support for me was always more than a formal research advisor. He was about to be my PhD co-supervisor. His sudden passing has shocked me and I also feel really sorry for his dear family, friends, colleagues and students.
Dear Maurizio
I still cannot believe that you are no longer with us. It’s only a few days ago that I visited ISSI and (luckily!) ran into you. For more than an hour you showed me around and filled me in on everything you have initiated and achieved since my retirement more than three years ago. Back then, I was pretty confident that you would become my ideal successor, as I knew you from your tenure as Science Program Manager. After our recent meeting I was _sure_ that ISSI could not be in better hands than yours. Your enthusiasm for the Institute and for science was palpably evident, and your warm personality filled ISSI with an atmosphere that cannot be copied.
Now you have gone ahead of us to the Other Side, way too suddenly, way too early. You leave behind an enormous gap, a breathtaking silence, and it will take all of us time and strength to recover from that loss. We can only trust that you will have a keen eye on us from above and support us,
Take care, yours
Ruedi
All deaths are untimely, but Maurizio leaving us so early in life, when he was still full of energy and and had big plans, is particularly heart wrenching. Like so many others, I remember many great conversations with Maurizio which led me to admire his many insights and ideas. He’ll be sorely missed. It feels as if Billy Joel was thinking of Maurizio when he wrote the line: “Only the good die young”
My heartfelt condolences,
Sami
My deepest condolences to the family. I will always remember Maurizio as very welcoming, open, friendly and dedicated person, who is happy to share his experience and give advice. We will greatly miss him!
I first met Maurizio when I arrived I Saclay as a post-doc at the end of 2005. I was conquered straight away by his energy, his kindess and his profound scientific culture. Since then, we worked toghether on numerous projects, within ISSI, ISSI-BJ, and more. But above all, what really matters, is that we became really good friends. We still had plenty of professional and personal plans for us and our families. I’ll miss him very much.
I met Maurizio in 1999 when he joined my group at the Astronomical Observatory of Rome to carry out his PhD thesis project in Relativistic Astrophysics. Over the years, I collaborated with him on many different projects. Maurizio was a remarkable scientist who remained dedicated to his research, even as managerial responsibilities began to take up most of his time. I have always admired the calm, respectful, and persuasive way in which he interacted with people and handled various situations, including with the hundreds of scientists and students visiting ISSI from all over the world. He always made everyone feel at home.
Maurizio and I were also friends. We shared many social occasions, some of which also involved our families. In our conversations, we often reminisced about our Sicilian background. People say that in the spring, one can ski Mount Etna in the morning and go swimming in the sea in the afternoon. I’m not sure if Maurizio ever did that, but he certainly loved both the sea and the mountains. He had a nautical license and went skiing every time he could. He took me several times to the Swiss Alps. Together, we also did the beautiful ski-mountaineering crossing of the Jungfrau glacier region, staying overnight at the Mönchsjoch Hut at 3,700 meters of altitude.
I had a long conversation with him over Zoom a few months ago. We talked about work and personal matters as well, and he seemed very happy. I simply cannot believe Maurizio is no longer with us. I will always remember him. My heartfelt condolences go to his family, relatives, and friends. His passing is also a major loss for ISSI and Space Science in general.
To Monika: You and your children are in my thoughts during this incredibly sad time. I am deeply sorry for your profound loss.
Alla famiglia di origine: Sono affettuosamente vicino a tutti voi per questa perdita così grave.
Maurizio was the epitome of the friendly welcome and set you in perfect mood to make the most of your time at ISSI. His presence was always encouraging and motivating. The Space Science Community has lost a great colleague and friend.
It is with deep sadness that I learned of the passing of Professor Maurizio Falanga. For many years he was the heart of the International Space Science Institute (ISSI) in Switzerland and to the broader field of astrophysics were truly remarkable. Professor Falanga’s expertise and dedication were invaluable, and his presence at ISSI will be profoundly missed both as a distinguished scientist as well as a respected colleague and mentor.
Please accept my sincere condolences during this difficult time. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and all those who had the privilege of knowing and working with him.
Regards, Petra Heil (AAD, AAPP and SLF)
It is a huge shock to hear this very sad news. I have known Maurizio, for many years, first through ISSI-Berne, but then as ISSI-BJ was being set up at NSSC. I have many fond memories of him and many conversations; not least taking a beer with him in Beijing. We used to swap notes on our experiences living in Beijing. Most recently we were in contact regarding a paper review, but we talked about promoting science through ISSI most often. It is very hard to come to terms with this loss as it seems he was always there for another chance meeting just around the corner….
With my sincere condolences,
Malcolm.
What incredibly sad news, Maurizio was such a great, friendly, happy person. I am PI of the Tracers Team that focuses on astrobiology and biosignatures. Without Maurizio, we would not have had our Tracers team. In 2020 we applied for a forum, but were rejected because of the lack of use of space data. Maurizio set up a meeting because he agreed that astrobiology and biosignature studies are instrumental for the generation of useful space data in many missions. Maurizio helped reshape our proposal and advised the ISSI board of the usefulness of astrobiology for many space missions. With his support Maurizio established the first astrobiology-themed ISSI team, with hopefully many to come to build his legacy. Thank you from the Tracers team.
I was saddened and shoked upon receiveing the tragic news about Maurizio.
We shared the office during the years of his PhD thesis at the Astronomical Observatory of Rome. We had the occasion to catch up recently at a conference dinner. He was just as I remembered, an agreeable, serene and happy person, fully enjoying both life and his work.
My heartfelt condolences to his wife and children.
To say that I was greatly saddened to hear about Maurizio passing is to say nothing. I am writing these lines days after I knew he’s not anymore with us, but still cannot collect my thoughts. Way too early. Way out of time. I knew Maurizio for a fair dozen of years, since the ISSI Workshops in 2012 and 2013. I remember our first meeting at ISSI in 2012 as if it happened right yesterday. It was in October, on a gray, windy, and usually rainy day, — I was downstairs waiting for a moment to go out, same Maurizio adjusting umbrella, so we got into a weather chat. A prosaic beginning evolving, with time, into exciting meetings later on, especially during my Guest Scientist positions at ISSI in 2016, 2018 and 2023. With my by then strong involvement into fusion I was still nostalgic of space physics, and Maurizio had perfectly understood that. But there was something beyond science that we used to share. Was it about Italy, probably? Or Rome? Or Calabria? Maybe. I do not know. Altogether, but not only. There are some tiny things that one may feel but cannot formalize. During my last stay at ISSI, in the summer 2023, I got the office space just next to Maurizio’s on the upper floor. Given this lucky geographic proximity, we got used to have a short talk each day in the afternoon, before each of us going home — always starting it in English, and then, ohh…! switching promptly into Italian. It was so special, but it’s the minor things that make our life special. The last time we met was on the 5th of July, 2023, in the afternoon, as usual, just before I left.. I will be greatly missing Maurizio, my friend and colleague, a bright, outstanding, wonderful person. My most sincere condolences to Maurizio’s Family. I fully share the pain, which in many ways is my own pain.
This sad and unexpected message got to me several days ago and I was left shocked and sorrowed. I still have a hard time to believe that this is real. Maurizio was someone who could connect people. He was full of positive energy, always smiling and optimistic, with a unique sense of humor. He had the ability to motivate others and was open to new opportunities and ideas. He was incredibly knowledgeable and linguistically gifted. What fascinated me about Maurizio was how much he could accomplish. They say multitasking is impossible for humans, but he certainly came close. I am deeply grateful not only for the opportunity to visit ISSI many times as a part of colaboration on a scientific paper, but also for the moments we spent simply joking about everyday things.
Maurizio teached me a lot and I will always remember him as someone who was kind to everyone, regardless of nationality, status, or profession.
Sincere condolences to his family and all his friends.
Maurizio’s smile and kindness lit up ISSI every day, and his dedication and enthusiasm for space science was unparalleled. He was the best colleague one could wish to have. He left us much too early and we will miss him dearly.
I will always remember Maurizio’s warm and smiling welcome at ISSI. The scientific community will be missing him. My deep condolence to his family and close friends.
Alessandro
I am so sorry to hear of Maurizio’s passing, and my heart goes out to you, his family and friends. Although I met Maurizio only briefly while at ISSI (my project is in the Earth Science part of the program), I am extremely grateful for the opportunities he worked to provide though his core contributions to ISSI, and to so many teams. I wish you support and love in this difficult time. Maurizio touched the lives of many people and is remembered with fondness and gratitude.
My condolences for the family and friends of Maurizio. What a shock. I’ve known Maurizio as a clever, open and very friendly colleague. He will be missed.
The death of Maurizio has saddened all of us at the University of Bern who were lucky to know Maurizio.
He was a great scientist and an awesome person. It’s hard to wrap my head around that I won’t meet him anymore on the streets around the university, or in the MIGROS buying groceries, or in the coffee room of ISSI.
I wish to express my condolences to Maurizio’s family and to the entire ISSI community, keeping him and his family in my thoughts and prayers.
André
My heartfelt condolences to Maurizio’s family and friends. Maurizio always gave us valuable advices and supported all my different activities at ISSI over long years. I cannot imagine an ISSI without Maurizio. It is a big loss for the community.
I still can’t believe Maurizio is gone. I met Maurizio in 2007, and as a member or leader of several ISSI teams, I interacted with him frequently. As a program manager and later as Director, Maurizio was always willing to answer any questions and help with anything necessary for the smooth running of the teams in both Beijing and Bern. He is a great loss for both ISSI and the scientific community, and we will miss him greatly. My deepest condolences to his family and to ISSI.
Difficult to find words. I only saw Maurizio the day before at a meeting in Bern and had a brief conversation with him, as always friendly, kind and still with a deep Basel accent. It is hard to believe that he is no longer with us. My thoughts are with everyone at ISSI, his friends and colleagues, and of course with his family, to whom I express my deepest condolences.
Let us keep Maurizio in our thoughts and our hearts.
Dear Maurizio – wherever you may be now,
Your sudden passing was a shock and fills me with deep sadness.
We first met at the University of Basel when I was a student. I enjoyed your lectures a lot, your were a kind and patient professor. Your passion and fascination for space was easily felt by all of us students and it filled the small lecture hall we used to sit in. You had also told us about ISSI and about your ideas for ISSI Beijing. A few years later, our professional paths crossed again in Bern at various events at ISSI and through the Swiss Space Office. Working with you was always pleasant, and I will in particular remember your positive spirit.
We sat in the same meeting room one day before I received the tragic notice that you had left way too early…
You will be missed and leave a big gap not only in the Swiss and international space science community.
My thoughts are with Maurizio’s family and friends, sincere condolences,
Valerie
I was deeply shocked and saddened by the news of the passing of Maurizio. He had kindly invited me in Beijing in 2015 to give a talk on 25 years of Hubble utilization and on-orbit servicing, and later at a Space Science school in Thailand. But the most touching event was a talk to schoolchildren in Münchenwiler, his home town, in the fall of 2023, together with parents and people from the village. Maurizio was such a very bright scientist, with a warm personality and cheerful character. He will be deeply missed, but his positive attitude and smile will always stay with us. My heart goes to his dear family, friends and colleagues, and to ISSI.
The abrupt departure of Maurizio left me shocked and deeply saddened. I have very precious memories of Maurizio from my time at ISSI as a postdoc. He was always enlightening ISSI with his kindness and good spirit. He was also very supportive and mindful of early career researchers. His too early departure is an immeasurable loss for the ISSI family and for the astronomical community. My deep condolences and courage to his beloved wife and children, and to my dear colleagues at ISSI.
What a shock to hear about Maurizio’s sudden demise. I remember Maurizio as a particularly inquisitive and kind person who made us as participants of the ISSI workshops on thermonuclear X-ray bursts in Bern very welcome, and applaud his significant contributions to this field of research. He will be sorely missed. My condolences to his family, friends and close colleagues. May he rest in peace.
Caro Maurizio,
scrivo come in una letera, perché mi sembra ancora impossibile che tu te ne sia andato cosi` improvvisamente. Ricordo quando ci siamo incontrati per la prima volta piu` di 20 anni fa, mentre lavoravo a Palermo e tu iniziavi a destreggiarti con i dati del telescopio INTEGRAL. Immediatamente, abbiamo stabilito una connessione che non si è mai interrotta. Si è rivitalizzata quando Enrico ha cominciato a lavorare a Ginevra. Con mia moglie e mia figlia, siamo stati a casa tua quando abitavi a Berna e poi siamo venuti al tuo matrimonio a Basilea. Innumerevoli le volte in cui ci siamo visti ad ISSI. Mi hai dato molti preziosi consigli con il tuo modo molto determinato di portare avanti la tua brillante carriera Mi hai giudicato anonimanate un lavoro contribuendo in maniera significativa al suo miglioramento per poi svelare la tua identità. Due anni dopo, ho beneficiato della tua competenza per un successivo lavoro. Abbiamo organizzato una scuola a Saas-Fee all’uscita della pandemia di Covid-19 e ci siamo visti a Bormio per la conferenza in occasione della pensione di Luigi Stella: lï ti lamentavi degli orari italiani della cena, pensando, invano, di trovare una sponda “svizzera”. Ho pure cercato di venire a lavorare con te ad ISSI, ma non è andata: sarebbe stato bello lavorare con te da vicino. Mi manchi e mi mancherai, caro Maurizio, ma la commozione piu` grande è per Monica, Sofia ed Alex: vi abbraccio forte ancora una volta. Abbraccio anche il tuo quasi gemello Vincenzo e i tuoi genitori. Carlo
I am very shocked learning that Maurizio passed away. I used to see Maurizio each time I visited ISSI, and his warm welcome, his friendly personality and his excellent organisation of everything will always be remembered. We will all miss him.
With sincere condolences,
Iannis
Dear ISSI Community,
Maurizio‘s passing on the one hand causes sorrow about the great loss we all experience, on the other hand it makes us realise what great contributions Maurizio made to ISSI – and its vast, lively community! Let‘s therefore celebrate Maurizio‘s immense beneficial influence on ISSI!
May he rest in peace!
Martin C. E. Huber