Science Diversity Meme/Latin/Hispanic Heritage Month

The Urban Scientist issued a challenge in the form of a meme last week.  I used the wik and other sources 🙂

Luis Walter Alvarez, PhD.
(Physics – University of Chicago)
of Cuban and Mexican descent

• won the 1968 Nobel Prize in Physics for the “discovery of a large number of resonance states, made possible through his development of the technique of using hydrogen bubble chamber and data analysis”
• The research allowed scientists to record and study the short lived particles created in particle accelerators.
• the Department of Energy granted him it’s Enrico Fermi
  Award, one of the oldest and most prestigious science awards
  given by the United States government
• He was a key participant in the Manhattan Project, including Project Alberta, the actual dropping of the
  atom bomb.
• He was on board the observation plane for the atomic bombing of Hiroshima as a scientific observer
• Granted more than 40 patents
• In 1978 inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame

Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, PhD (Costa Rica)
(Applied Plasma Physics – MIT)
(Mechanical engineering – University of Connecticut)

• Former NASA astronaut
  7 NASA Space Flight Medals
  (1986,1989,1992,1994,1996,1998)
• American Institute of Aeronomantics and Astronautics 2001 Wyld Propulsion Award for his 21 years and research on the VASIMR engine (variable space impulse magnetoplasma rocket) for spacecraft propulsion and it is currently in development by his company
• participated in the construction of the International Space Station
• retired from NASA 2005

Mario J. Molina (Mexico)
PhD UC Berkeley – Physical Chemistry

-Won the 1995 Nobel Prize for his role in bringing to light the threat to the ozone layer of chlorofluorocarbon gases (CFC)s.
-The first and only Mexican citizen to receive a Nobel prize for science.
-A member of the pontifical academy of science.
-Member, U.S. President’s Committee of Advisors in Science and Technology 

Miguel Rodriguez (Puerto Rico)
Engineering
NASA

-Chief of the Integration Office of the Cape Canaveral spaceport management office director of the propulsion directorate at stennis space center in Mississippi.

-his team worked on the STS-114 engines which were installed on Discovery Space Shuttle launched in August 2005

-two NASA Exceptional Medals
-KSC Leadership Award
-NASA Silver Snoopy Award

Dr. Miriam Rodon Naveira (Puerto Rico)
(PhD Biology-Aquatic Microbial Ecology Georgetown)

-the first Hispanic woman to hold the Deputy Directorship for Environmental Sciences Division within the National Exposure Research Laboratory.

-is responsible for developing, coordinating and maintaining research and educational activities in support of NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center Mission.

Dr. Hilda Molina, former Chief Neurosurgeon of Cuba
-Founded the Neurosurgery Center in Havanna
-Former Deputy, Cuba National Assembly