Franz completed his undergraduate studies in Biochemistry at Universidad Católica de Valparaíso in Chile, and then completed a specialization in Chemical and Environmental Engineering at Universidad de Santiago. He continued his education by earning a Master of Science at Universidad de Chile and a Ph.D. at the National School of Public Health ENSP / FIOCRUZ- RJ / Brazil. Throughout his studies, Franz was a visiting researcher at the Environmental and Life Science Division of the Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL), which is part of the Department of Energy (DOE) in Tennessee, USA. He was also awarded a grant from the Panamerican Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) to support his Ph.D. research.In recent years, Franz has focused on researching and developing sustainable processes and strategies for treating complex and hazardous industrial effluents, such as landfill leachate, vinasse, and lignocellulosic wastewater. He has also conducted research on geostatistics, environmental epidemiology, and the toxicology of air, soil, and water pollutants. Franz's work has resulted in the development of international patents, and he has published articles in journals that focus on engineering processes, ecotoxicology, and public health.