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News Homepage |
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Puerto Ricans in NASA The Puerto Rican community is the second largest Hispanic
group in the United States. They are mostly known for their contributions
to the fields of the arts, entertainment and sports. Puerto Ricans have,
however, also made contributions to the fields of education and science.
There are many Puerto Rican scientists involved in the American Space
Program, also known as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA).
Dr. Nitza Margarita Cintrón (photo on the left) was named Chief of NASA's Johnson Space Center Space Medicine and Health Care Systems Office in 2004.
Dr. Félix Soto Toro is the scientist who developed an electronic 3D measuring system (APTMS) for the Space Shuttle. The following are short profiles of other Puerto Rican men and women and their contributions and achievements in NASA. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Short profiles Anthony M. Busquets "Development and application of multifunction control/display switch technology in 1983 and Development and application of a microprocessor-based I/O system for simulator use in 1984." NASA Awards and Recognitions: He is the author and or co-author of over 13 conference papers and NASA formal publications in the areas of cockpit controls and displays, use of stereoscopy in flight displays and pictorial flight displays for situation awareness enhancement. NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia Miguel Alvarez Chico "System Hardware Design Engineer for the Aft-Deck Semulator and the Cockpit Motion Facility." He is also the Assistant Systems Engineer, General Aviation Simulator (reactivation) - support of the AWIN research study (1998 - 2002), NASA Awards and Recognitions: NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia Juan A. Crúz "Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Parachute" NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia Lydia Del Río "Research and Program Management and Center Full Cost Program Analyst." Del Río is responsible for planning and managing R&PM and for evaluating the effectiveness of its program efforts, and for the allocation of resources and funds utilization. NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida Dr. Orlando Figueroa Headed the cryogenic technology section, played a key role on the Cosmic Background Explorer mission, and managed a Space Shuttle Helium on Orbit Mission. Manager for the Small Explorers (SMEX) project, manager for the Explorers Program, and Director of Systems Technology and Advanced Concept Directorate. On August 1, 2004, was named Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs. NASA Awards and Recognitions: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland Guillermo A. González Specialty: Electropyrotechnics Firing circuit & Nickel Cadmium Battery Systems. NASA Group/Team Achievement Awards: NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia Olga D. González-Sanabria González-Sanabria is responsible for planning, and directing a full range of integrated services including engineering, fabrication, testing, facility management and aircraft services for the Glenn Research Center. NASA Awards and Recognitions: NASA Glenn Research Center in Ohio Amri Hernández-Pellerano Hernández-Pellerano designs, builds and tests the electronics that will regulate the solar array power in order to charge the spacecraft battery and distribute power to the different loads or users inside the spacecraft. NASA Awards and Recognitions: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland Gloria Hernández NASA Awards and Recognitions: NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virigina Annie Delgado-Holton Delgado-Holton launched the first "Esperanza Community Dialogue", Esperanza is a non-profit organization in the Cleveland area, whose main goal is to provide students with the necessary resources to excel in their college careers. Esperanza Community Dialogue brings forth to the Center Esperanza scholarship recipients and their parents to learn and discuss the great opportunities offered at NASA GRC. Delgado-Holton began her career at NASA Glenn Research Center as an Executive Support Assistant to the Aeronautics Directorate. She is also a member of LATINA and as a member she advocated for the inclusion of a Hispanic woman into the Ohio's Women's Hall of Fame. NASA Glenn Research Center in Ohio Lucas G. Hortas NASA Awards and Recognitions: He is the author and or co-author of over 35 technical papers in the areas of system identification, vibration control and isolation, optimal control design and implementation, optimal actuator/sensor placement, model testing, and experimental verification of control methodologies. NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia Grisselle LaFontaine Part of LaFontaine's job is to assist in the implementation of federal IT mandates. She develops Web-based solutions to address information management needs. LaFontaine developed a dynamic web-based bulletin board called "Today@Glenn" and she created a web site documenting Cultural Change initiatives at Glenn. LaFontaine helped develop a NASA strategic plan for the advancement of Hispanics at the Center. NASA Glenn Research Center in Ohio Dr. Carlos A. Liceaga, P.E. For the Explorer Program, leads the development of proposal guidelines; and the technical, management, and cost evaluation of the proposals. Specialties: Fault-Tolerant Computing, Reliability Modeling NASA Awards: He is the author and or co-author of 12 publications in the areas of reliability modeling, fault-tolerant computers, space systems, spacecraft simulation, Shuttle/Station subsystems, and space mission proposal guidelines. NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia Debbie Martinez "Flight Systems and Software Branch" Software manager for the new Cockpit Motion Facility. Martinez's job consists of supporting La RC (Langley Research Center) researcher community with their particular flight research project studies utilizing the La RC simulation facilities. This involves understanding their problem domain, formulating possible solutions, allocating appropriate resources, and ensuring that the results satisfy their researcher's needs. NASA Superior Awards: NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia Lissette Martinez She is responsible for providing electrical engineering support to Code 870 Space Experiment Module (SEM) program. She also is responsible for the testing of ground and flight hardware. Martinez works with students around the world, helping them with science experiments that will actually ride along on Space Shuttle missions and blast into space. Martinez was part of the team that launched a rocket from White Sands, New Mexico to gather information on the Hale-Bopp Comet in 1999. She was featured in the November 2002 issue of Latina magazine. NASA Wallops Flight Facility located in Virginia Lourdes E. Miranda NASA Awards and Recognitions: NASA Headquarters located in Washington, D.C. Mayra N. Montrosa Montrosa is responsible for coordinating Science Policy at the Agency. She works with representatives from the NASA research organizations to ensure that the NASA Science Policy is implemented as intended. She is also in charge of developing the NASA implementation to the Federal Policy on Research Misconduct. She works to ensure communication within the Agency research programs and between NASA other Federal Agencies NASA Headquarters located in Washington, D.C. Dr. Carlos Ortiz Longo NASA Awards and Recognitions: NASA Group Achievement Award, ORS Flight Experiment, 1986, NASA Productivity Improvement Award, New TCS Blanket Inspection Method, 1989, Golden Eagle Award, TCS Inspection, 1989, NASA Productivity Improvement Award, Thermal Interactive Mission Evaluation System (TIMES-89), 1989, Silver Snoopy Award, STS-40 Payload Bar Door Seal Anomaly, 1991, NASA Fellowship Program, 1992, NASA Group Achievement Award, Shuttle Plume Impingement Flight Experiment, 1995, Space Act Award, Thermal Interactive Mission Evaluation System, 1995, AR&SD Elite Team Award, Letter of Recognition from the Chief of the Automation, Robotics, and Simulation Division, for support given to operational evaluation of the FGB grapple fixture, Space Act Award, Thermal Synthesizer System, TSS, 1996, Letter of Recognition from the NASA Administrator, Daniel S. Goldin, for contributions in the development of the Quantitative Risk Assessment System (QRAS) model, 1997, NASA Group Achievement Award, Space Shuttle Risk Model Team, 1998, NASA Group Achievement Award, Space Station Phase 1 Program Team, 1998, NASA Group Achievement Award, Orbiter Upgrades Definition Team, 1998, Various Outstanding Performance Ratings, and Performance Awards, 1985-1997, Chairman, Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop (TFAWS), International Conference, NASA JSC, 1997 and the Silver Snoopy Award. NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston Dr. Marla E. Perez-Davis NASA Awards and Recognitions: NASA Glenn Research Center in Ohio Mercedes Reaves Reaves is responsible for the design of a viable full-scale solar sail and the development and testing of a scale model solar sail. She is also responsible for planning experimental studies to validate analytical techniques and study solar sails dynamics. NASA Langley Research Center in West Virginia Dr. Miriam Rodon-Naveira Dr. Rodon-Naveria is responsible for developing, coordinating and maintaining research and educational activities in support of NASA DFRC mission. In 1995, she became the first woman minority Branch Chief within the National Exposure Research Laboratory. In 1998, she became the first Hispanic woman to hold the Deputy Directorship for the Environmental Sciences Division within the NERL. Dr. Miriam Rodon-Naveria holds a PhD in Biology Aquatic Microbial Ecology. NASA Dryden Flight Research Center located in California Miguel Rodríguez Rodríguez is responsible for overall integration of CCSMO functions including assuring the effective base operations, maintenance, sustaining engineering, support services for all NASA at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), 49th Space Wing at Cape Canaveral Air Base Station and Patrick Air Force Base which is provided through the Joint Base Operations and Support Contract. NASA Awards and Recognitions: Two Nasa Exceptional Medals, KSC Leadership Award and the NASA Silver Snoopy Award. Cape Canveral Air Force Station in Florida Otilia L. Rodríguez-AlvarezElectrical Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist "Solar B. Mission Manager" Rodríguez-Alvarez is the Instrument Manager for the Advance Baseline Image for the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Program. Before becoming the Solar B. Mission Manager she worked on solar array and antenna systems for the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and the X-Ray Timing Explorer (XTE). Rodriguez-Alvarez also became the lead engineer for the Sensors and Actuators Team on the Microwave Anisotropy Probe (MAP). NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland Dr. Pedro Rodríguez Dr. Rodríguez is responsible for the engineering services and facilities for in environmental structural and propulsion testing of NASA programs assigned to the Marshall Space Flight Center. Among his duties are research, development, qualification and acceptance testing of critical space and flight hardware, as well as the testing of relevant development hardware. Dr. Rodríguez invented a portable, battery operated seat lift designed for people with degenerative knee arthritis to enable them to stand more easily. NASA Awards and Recognitions: NASA's Exceptional Service Medal, NASA Inventors Award, The Silver Snoopy Award, The Marshall Center Directors Commendation Award as the "Outstanding Hispanic Employee". The Puerto Rican Senate recognized Dr. Rodriguez with a resolution marking his engineering achievement. Dr. Pedro Rodríguez holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. note:Dr. Rodríguez is the son of the late Puerto Rican salsa singer Pellín Rodríguez. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama Monserrate Román Roman is the Chief Microbiologist for the Environmental Control and Life Support System project. She determines how microbes will behave under different situations and in different locations, such as the nooks and crannies of the Space Station. She ensures safe water and air for the crew of the International Space Station. NASA Marshall Flight Space Center in Alabama Desiree Santa Management Analyst in the Office of Earth, performing analytical and evaluative work related to the management, organizational efficiency and productivity of program operations. NASA Headquarters located in Washington, D.C. NASA's Bonzzo Award |
ma
of which were Puerto Ricans,
and in consideration of all our friends and readers in New York.
