Manfred K. Eberhardt

Manfred Karl Eberhardt was born in Heidenheim, Germany, on December 5, 1930, to Karl Eberhardt and Maria Margaretha Schäberle. His interest in science evolved during his teenage years. In 1957, he graduated with a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Tübingen, in Baden-WürVemberg, Germany, after which he migrated to the USA. Between 1957-1962, Dr. Eberhardt did postdoctoral studies at the University of Chicago, Arkansas and Notre Dame, followed by a two-year Fellowship at the Mellon Institute at the University of Pittsburgh. In 1964, he was offered a position at the University of Puerto Rico Nuclear Center, which gave him the opportunity to continued his research in free radical chemistry. Although the Nuclear Center was closed, Dr. Angel Román Franco, his “angel of fate”, hired him to work at the Cancer Center. In 1982, he became Assistant Professor at the Pathology Department of the UPR’s School of Medicine. In 1995, Dr. Eberhardt was promoted to full-[me Professor and eventually re[red. In 2000, Dr. Eberhardt published the scientific monograph “Reactive Oxygen Metabolites. Chemistry and Medical Consequences”. In 2007, his book “Life and Death in an Oxygen Atmosphere” was published. In 2018, Dr. Eberhardt received a Certificate of Recognition from the American Chemical Society for his 60 years of membership.

In the early 1980’s, Manfred started taking sculpture classes at the Escuela de Artes Plás[cas under the direction of Melquiades Rosario Sastre and later also under Andrés Sierra. He discovered a new passion in his life: sculpting. In 1988, he did a workshop on ‘Modelling the Head and Figure” under Bruno Lucchesi, and by 1990, he was immersed in marble sculp[ng at the Art Institute of Pietrasanta, Italy, the medieval town in Tuscany which he tried to visit every year to work on his marble statues. Between 1992-1993 Manfred enjoyed taking mold making and plastic casing workshops in New Jersey, USA. Dr. Eberhardt participated in several art exhibitions: beginning in 1986, a group exhibition at the Escuela de Artes Plás[cas, in San Juan, Puerto Rico; in 1996, a solo exhibition “Glasperlenspiel”, in San Juan, Puerto Rico and in 2007, 2009 and 2011, at juried sculpture exhibitions at Santa Clara City Hall, in Santa Clara, California. One of his favorite sculptures, “Life Started in the Ocean”, stands at the entrance of the School of Nursing at the University of California- San José Campus, where his beloved Marlowe studied.

He is survived by his sister, Helga Dissinger, his brother in law, and his niece, Dr. Belna Dissinger. Manfred will always be remembered for his contagious laugh, his commitment to thorough scientific research and his passion for art and sculpture. May he rest in peace.