Zoltán Fekete was born in Szolnok in 1984 and died in a mountain accident on December 23, 2024, at the age of 40.

His death leaves a deep void among his family, friends, and colleagues.

As a youngster, he played competitive basketball, which built his stamina and team spirit. His adventures began with skydiving at the age of 16, and during his university years, he found a passion for nature. Mountain biking, cross-country skiing, rock climbing, caving, and summer and winter mountaineering filled his free time. At the age of 24, he founded a hiking club, which he led as president until his death, aiming to promote hiking among young people in his country. With his two young sons and his wife, he also took many trips along the country’s Blue Trail. He was a devoted father with a great sense of humor.

He graduated from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics in 2009 and received his PhD in 2013. In 2014, he spent one year at the University of Freiburg, Germany, on an Alexander von Humboldt scholarship. Between 2009 and 2017, he worked at the Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA EK MFA), and since 2017, he had been leading the Research Group on Implantable Microsystems at the Pázmány Péter Catholic University Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics.

He received numerous honors and awards. He was an active member of the Academy of Young Researchers and was committed to the education of young researchers, mentoring nearly 30 theses and guiding 4 doctoral students to successful graduation.

Zoli was a determined creator who tirelessly worked toward his goals. He built a family, a circle of friends, and a professional research group for the future. Yet he lived in the present, always aware that life could end at any moment. We never thought that he would have so little time...

We keep him in our memories. Rest in peace, Zoli.