A serious accident has shocked the international scientific community. Riccardo Pozzobon, a 40-year-old geologist from Padua, lost his life during a research expedition to the Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska, part of a project funded by the National Geographic Grants Program. Pozzobon had traveled to the United States on August 26, along with two colleagues, to study the fractures and morphologies of the glacier from a planetary perspective. On September 2, during explorations, he slipped in a meltwater stream and was sucked into a natural cavity in the ice, known as a “sink”. Rescue efforts continued for days, but without success, and American authorities have now suspended the search, declaring the Italian geologist dead.
Pozzobon was a well-known figure in the field of planetary geology. He was a professor at the University of Padua, had collaborated with the European Space Agency (ESA) and was an instructor for astronauts, including Luca Parmitano, in the preparation of missions to the Moon and Mars. In 2024, Pozzobon published a landmark study in the journal Nature, gaining international recognition. His project in Alaska, called Gemini, aimed to combine terrestrial geology with space exploration techniques to analyze glacier changes.
The tragedy has deeply affected the academic world. The Italian Geological Society called the loss “devastating news”, remembering Pozzobon as an extraordinary man and a brilliant researcher.
The rector of the University of Padua, Daniela Mapelli, said: "Riccardo lost his life pursuing one of his greatest passions: research. It is a great sadness and a feeling of helplessness, but also a desire to always remember and honor him.
Pozzobon leaves behind his partner Claudia and a young son. To help the family, the Italian Geological Society has launched a donation fund in his name.
