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¡Bienvenidos!/Welcome!
This page was created to recognize
our NASA Hispanic Employees' achievements and contributions
throughout NASA centers that have been featured
in NASA News Releases &/or other publications.
For other activities related to Hispanics working
at NASA centers, please visit Hispanic
Educational Outreach page
In addition, we hope that these featured
NASA Hispanics help young students to visualize career
opportunities in the science & technology fields.
2010
- NASA NAMES LUGO AS DIRECTOR
OF NASA GRC - NASA Administrator
Charles Bolden has named Ramon "Ray" Lugo III
as director of the agency's Glenn Research Center
(GRC) in Cleveland, effective July 18. Lugo has
been Glenn's acting director since March. As Glenn's
director, Lugo is responsible for planning, organizing
and leading the activities needed to accomplish
the missions assigned to the center. Glenn has
research, technology and systems development programs
in space propulsion, space power, space communications,
aeronautical propulsion and microgravity sciences.
NASA News Release: 10-040
- NASA NAMES DEPUTY CHIEF
INFORMATION OFFICER - NASA
Chief Information Officer Linda Cureton has announced
the appointment of Deborah Diaz as the agency's
new deputy chief information officer. Diaz will
be a key member of the office that provides information
technology services to all staff. NASA
News Release/Full Story: 05-2010
2009
- PODER360 Article - NASA's
Latino Pioneers For aspiring Hispanic astronauts,
The sky is no longer the limit
2008
- NASA Marshall Center's
Hispanics Encourages Hispanic Community to Focus
on Education
10.06.08 - Jose Roman hopes to spread an important
message to minority youth during the center's
annual Hispanic Heritage Month observance: Focus
on education.
NASA News Release: 08-149
2007
- NASA Hispanics in the
NEWS [Boricuas en NASA]
This month in "El Nuevo Dia", one of Puerto Rico’s
daily newspaper, there was an article entitled
“La invasion boricua en la NASA”, "The boricua
invasion at NASA". Boricua is derived from Borinquen,
the name the native indians had for Puerto Rico.
So anyone from the island is referred as a “boricua”.
Here are some of the highlights from the article:
- Over 181 Puerto Ricans working at NASA, most
in high ranking jobs
- 75% of those are engineers mostly from the University
of PR at Mayagüez
- Joseph Acabá, a teacher, will be the first Puerto
Rican astronaut
- Half a dozen Puerto Ricans are SESers
- Orlando Figueroa, Pedro Rodríguez, Miguel Rodríguez,
Olga González-Sanabria, Gilberto Colón, Moserrate
Román
- A number of Puerto Ricans are leaving the island
looking for work in the US; this has been going
on for the last 30 years - Highlight of Gilberto
Colon and his wife who also works at NASA GSFC
- Highlight and picture of the GSFC Puerto Rican
community
- Highlight of Olga and her career
- Highlight of Miguel Rodríguez and how he came
from “El Colegio”, UPR at Mayagüez in 1975; when
asked if a Puerto Rican will ever be the NASA
Administrator, his answer was: “Of course” The
main graphic shows the number of Puerto Ricans
at each of the NASA centers with highlights of
the 6 SESers and Joseph Acaba, the first Puerto
Rican astronaut.
¡Felicidades Boricuas!
SOURCE: El
Nuevo Dia -1
- LaRC Latino among nominee
for 2007 NASA Commercial Invention of the Year
Award
The invention "Polyimide Foams" (AR-16615-1 and
LAR-16615-2), by inventors Roberto Cano, Brian
Jensen, and Erik Weiser (all from LaRC), and Juan
Vazquez (PolyuMac TechnoCore, Inc.) has been granted
U.S. Patent No. 6.956.066. The invention significantly
reduces costs and increases production rates of
durable polyimide foam materials. The products
provide excellent insulation for sound, cryogenics,
heat, or cold.
- 2007 HENAAC Winner - Executive
Excellence Olga D. Gonzalez-Sanabria - Oct '07
HENAAC is proud to announce the 2007 HENAAC Award
Winners in Engineering & Science. Winners in each
category represent the nation’s best and brightest
engineers and scientists. They were selected by
the HENAAC Selection Committee, an independent
group of representatives from industry, government,
military and academia. The winners will be honored
at the HENAAC Awards Show on October 12, 2007,
and throughout other events at the Town & Country
Resort & Convention Center in San Diego, CA during
the 19th Annual HENAAC Conference, October 11
– 13, 2007.
Web site: HENAAC
- NASA Names Astronaut
Ellen Ochoa Deputy Director of Johnson –
1st Hispanic woman astronaut - Oct '07
Veteran astronaut Ellen Ochoa has been named the
next deputy director of NASA's Johnson Space Center.
Ochoa is a four-time space flier who has served
as director of flight crew operations at Johnson.
She will succeed Bob Cabana, who was named director
of NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.
Ochoa will assume duties as deputy director after
the next space shuttle mission, STS-120.
NASA News Release: http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/sep/HQ_07194_Ochoa_Named_JSC_Deputy_Director.html
- Hispanic Employees Contributions
at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) - Nov '07
1) Dr. Ruben Del Rosario was selected as the Project
Manager for the Subsonic Fixed Wing project within
the Aeronautics Projects Implementation Office
at NASA GRC, OH.
2) Dr. Felix Miranda was a recognized for his
contributions at the GRC 2007 R&D 100 Awards.
He was among the GRC researchers who received
three 2007 R&D 100 Awards. With three Glenn-developed
technologies named among this year's 100 most
technically significant products of the year,
the Center has earned 100 of the coveted "R&D
100 Awards." Recipients were recognized during
the R&D 100 Awards banquet, celebrating 45 Years
of Innovation, on October 18, at Chicago's Navy
Pier. ¡Felicidades!
- NASA
Langley's [Latina} Cover Girl By: Denise
Adams [article]
- Jan '07
2006
- International Hispanic
Association Names NASA's Elia Ordonez Its Woman
Of The Year
The Worldwide Association of Mexicans Abroad –
helping to build an international network of Hispanic
business owners -- has recognized NASA employee
Elia Ordonez as the 2006 National Hispanic Woman
of the Year for her support of Alabama's Hispanic.
community.
NASA Press Release 06-116
2005
- First Hispanics On Duty Leading Mission Control Team
Ms. Ginger Kerrick, the first person of Hispanic
heritage to lead Mission Control is working shifts
as a flight director for the International Space
Station at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston.
NASA News RELEASE: 05-411
[11-18-05]
- NASA JSC Latina Being
Recognized
HENAAC’s Board of Directors and TECHNiCA™
Magazine proudly announce
the 2005 HENAAC Award Winners. (http://www.henaac.org/).
Among the winners were NASA's own:
- Alphonso V. Diaz, NASA HQ Associate Administrator
Science Mission Directorate, selected as Hispanic
Engineer of the Year. Full bio at http://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/al_diaz_bio.html
- Mark Leon, NASA Ames Research Center Director
of Education, received the 2005 HENAAC's Santiago
Rodriguez Diversity Award.
Article at HENAAC
[10-05]
- NASA Official Honored
as Federal Employee of the Year
NASA's Orlando Figueroa received the 2005 Service
to America Federal Employee of the Year Medal
during an award ceremony at the Andrew W. Mellon
Auditorium in Washington. This award recognizes
a federal employee whose professional contributions
exemplify the highest attributes of public service.
The award recognizes his leadership in NASA's
successful Mars Exploration Rovers' mission.
Article at JSC
Spaceref [09-05]
- NASA JSC Latina Being
Recognized
JSC Engineer Laurie Carrillo has been selected
by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) to receive
the Past Presidents Award. This award is based
on outstanding academic achievement as well as
strong engineering potential. Carrillo will be
recognized at the SWE National Convention in Anaheim,
Calif., in November. This recognition comes with
a $1,500 reward.
Article at JSC
Features [06-05]
- DREAMS ARE THE ROAD TO
SPACE FOR NASA AEROSPACE ENGINEER
Rosa Obregon didn't realize it at the time, but
the road from Monterrey, Mexico, to Corpus Christi,
Texas, was the first leg of a long journey leading
to NASA's Stennis Space Center (SSC), Miss.
Always interested in space, the 22-year-old aerospace
technologist has gained hands-on experience in
SSC's E-Complex, where she was involved in a hybrid
rocket motor test program. She was also one of
five test conductors for the External Tank Foam
Test (ETFT) Project. The ETFT team simulated Florida
weather conditions typical of Space Shuttle launch
days to see what kinds of ice and frost formed
on the tank's foam insulation.
Obregon is working on another NASA team testing
hybrid motors. She hopes to be a test conductor
for part of the series. "I'm trying to explore
different aspects of NASA," she said. "I'm enjoying
what I'm doing, but one day I want to be a test
conductor, to push the button and see that beautiful
flame," Obregon added.
RELEASE: MBO-05-079
[05-18-05]
2004
- ALPHONSO V. DIAZ, GSFC
DIRECTOR 1998 - 2004 -
Mr. Diaz began his career at NASA in 1964. He became
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC) Deputy
Director in 1996, and was appointed GSFC's Director
in 1998. In 2005 Mr. Diaz, then Associate Administrator
of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, was selected
as Hispanic Engineer of the Year by the Hispanic
Engineer National Achievement Awards Corporation
(HENAAC).
NASA LINK: Al
Diaz
- Meet NASA's Future Explorer - Jose
Hernandez [10/14/04] & Joseph
Acaba
Hispanic
NASA Astronaut Site
- NASA Marshall Center's
Wendell Colberg [UPR Alumni] selected for Senior
Executive Service (SES) Candidate Development
Program
NASA News RELEASE: 04-225
[09-03-04]
- HISPANIC ENGINEER HELPS
SPACE STATION CREWS STAY FIT
Growing up in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Carlos Ortiz-Longo
liked to take things apart. His father, a medical
doctor, encouraged his young son's curiosity,
helping him learn the way things work, even teaching
him to fix his own bicycle.Today, Ortiz-Longo
is still fixing his bicycle. Only this one is
more than 200 miles above the Earth, on the International
Space Station. Ortiz-Longo manages a team of more
than 30 people who keep the Station's exercise
equipment tuned. The Crew Health Care System and
Exercise Countermeasures team is located at NASA's
Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston.
NASA News RELEASE : 04-141
[April 28, 2004]
Media organizations interested in interviewing
Ortiz-Longo should contact Julie Burt, JSC Public
Affairs at: 281/483-5111.
- NASA SPACE MEDICINE CHIEF
INDUCTED INTO HENAAC HALL OF FAME
Dr. Nitza Margarita Cintron, chief of NASA's Johnson
Space Center (JSC) Space Medicine and Health Care
Systems Office, is a long way from her native
Puerto Rico. Her plan to stay at NASA for only
two years resulted in a 26-year career. Cintron
was inducted into the Hispanic Engineers National
Achievement Awards Conference's (HENAAC) Hall
of Fame on October 7, 2004 during its 16th Annual
Conference. The Hall of Fame was established in
1998 to recognize the contributions of Hispanics
in science, engineering and technology. With Cintron,
its membership numbers 25.
NASA News Release: 04-346
[Oct. 15, 2004]
Latina
Women Of NASA Site: Dr.
Nitza Margarita Cintron
Media organizations interested in interviewing
Cintron should contact John Ira Petty, JSC Office
of Public Affairs, at: 281/483-5111.
2003
- NASA HONORS MINORITY CONTRACTORS
Three firms were honored at NASA's 13th Annual
Minority Business and Advocates Awards ceremony
in Washington. NASA named Science Systems and
Applications, Inc. (SSAI) as Minority Contractor
of the Year. Crewstone Technologies was named
Minority Subcontractor of the Year. Cimarron,
Inc. was named the Women Owned Business of the
Year. NASA also recognized outstanding advocates
within the agency for their contributions and
innovative approaches to using minority and women
owned businesses. . . . NASA Headquarters and
four NASA field centers were recognized for meeting
or exceeding all negotiated socio-economic small
business goals. The Glenn Research Center, Cleveland;
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama.;
and Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va. were
recognized.
For information and list of winners on the Web,
visit: http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/codek/
NASA News Release: 03-300
[September 22, 2003]
SpaceRef.Com: 15030
- PERSISTENCE & PASSION
LEADS HISPANIC ENGINEER TO SUCCESS
Growing up in Santurce, Puerto Rico, Miguel Rodriguez
knew by age 17, he wanted to work in America's
space program. Little could he have known then
staying focused on that goal would lead him to
become director of the Operations Directorate
at NASA's Stennis Space Center, Miss. As director
of Stennis Operations, Rodriguez manages facility
construction, maintenance, environmental programs,
security, emergency services, utilities and other
operations for about 4,600 Stennis personnel.
NASA News Release: 03-210
[June 26, 2003]
- NASA - NASA'S FIRST
FEMALE HISPANIC ASTRONAUT SHARES EXPERIENCES
NASA's First Female Hispanic Astronaut Shares
Experiences Astronaut Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic
woman to fly in space, has traveled the United
States sharing her groundbreaking experience with
students and educators.
NASA News Release: 03-207
[June 26, 2003]
Latina
Women Of NASA Site: Dr.
Ellen Ochoa
Hispanic
NASA Astronaut Site
- NASA - FIRST HISPANIC-AMERICAN
ASTRONAUT LIVES CHILDHOOD DREAM
First Hispanic-American Astronaut Lives Childhood
Dream Few NASA astronauts have chalked up more
than a decade in space, but Franklin Chang-Diaz
says he's been touring the cosmos for nearly half
a century. His first spacecraft? An oversized
cardboard box, fueled by the vivid imagination
of a small boy who already knew what he wanted
to do with his life and would meet every challenge
to make it happen.
NASA News Release: 03-205
[June 26, 2003]
Hispanic
NASA Astronaut Site
- NASA ASTRONAUT LEADS PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT TRAINING
Astronaut Ronald Parise leads the first NASA sponsored,
professional development training for the principal
investigators of the Proyecto Access program starting
May 15 at 1:00 p.m. EDT at NASA's Goddard Space
Flight Center (8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt,
Md.). During the professional development training,
Parise, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for
Education Angela Phillips Diaz, and other agency
staff will work closely with principal investigators
to introduce the goals of NASA's Education Enterprise.
The NASA staff will work to enhance the way agency
content and resources are released into classrooms
serving a primarily Hispanic student population.
NASA News Release: 03-170
[May 14, 2003]
- LATINA SCIENTIST KEEPS
AN EYE ON SMALLEST INHABITANTS OF SPACE
Monsi Roman, a Marshall Center microSitelogist,
works to ensure safe water and air for the crew
of the International Space Station. Roman studies
microbes, living organisms including viruses,
bacteria, fungi and parasites — only visible
under a microscope. Her job is like a detective,
checking the tiny beings to see how they will
behave on the Space Station.
To read more about Ms. Monsi Roman, visit Latina
Women Of NASA
NASA News RELEASE: 03-101
[June 26, 2003]
Latina
Women Of NASA Site: Ms.
Monsi Roman
- LANGLEY ENGINEERS HELP
LATEST MISSIONS LAND ON MARS
Langley researchers also helped develop the parachute
that will help slow the spacecraft during entry,
descent and landing. "There are challenges
to testing these parachutes because we can not
test it at exactly the right conditions,"
said Juan R. Cruz, Langley research engineer who
worked on the MER parachute design.
NASA News RELEASE: 03-039
[June 26, 2003]
2002
- Alabama's First Hispanic
Youth Conference, Co-sponsored by Marshall Center,
is Success
NASA News RELEASE: 02-255
[10/10/02]
- GONZALEZ-SANABRIA APPOINTED
TO SENIOR RANK
Olga Gonzalez-Sanabria, director of the Systems
Management Office at NASA's Glenn Research Center,
Cleveland, has been named a member of the U.S.
government's Senior Executive Service. As Director
of Glenn's Systems Management Office, Gonzalez-Sanabria
supports the development of Center level strategic
processes, implementation planning, and decision
guidelines for program direction and resource
allocation. She also ensures development and implementation
of Center policies, processes and procedures that
are consistent with NASA's Program and Project
Management Processes and Requirements and oversees
the implementation of Glenn's Business Management
System.
NASA News RELEASE: 02-049
[July 8, 2002]
Latina
Women Of NASA Site: Olga
Gonzalez-Sanabria
2001
- LOCAL HISPANIC RESEARCHERS
HONORED FOR CAREER SUCCESS
"Success through Education" will be the theme
when two NASA Glenn Research Center employees
are honored at the Hispanic Engineer National
Achievement Awards Conference (HENAAC) to be held
October 13 in El Paso, Texas. They were Dr. Marla
Pérez-Davis, chief, Electrochemistry Branch
and Dr. Felix A. Miranda, chief, Applied RF Technology
Branch.
NASA News RELEASE: 01-078
[October 11, 2001]
Latina
Women Of NASA Site: Dr.
Marla Pérez-Davis
- HISPANIC-AMERICAN ENJOYS
THE HISTORY OF AMERICA'S SPACE PROGRAM FROM FRONT
ROW SEAT AT NASA
Pedro “Pete” Rodriguez never fully realized
he’s had a front-row seat in the history
of the space program — until a colleague
casually pointed it out one day. Since Rodriguez
began his NASA career at the Marshall Space Flight
Center in Huntsville, Ala., 25 years ago, he’s
worked alongside Dr. Wernher von Braun’s
original rocket team, and has been part of the
teams building the Space Shuttle, Hubble Space
Telescope, and X-34 technology demonstrator.
NASA News RELEASE: 01-314
[Sept. 27, 2001]
SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS
- NASA NAMES LUGO AS DIRECTOR
OF NASA GRC - NASA Administrator
Charles Bolden has named Ramon "Ray" Lugo III
as director of the agency's Glenn Research Center
(GRC) in Cleveland, effective July 18. Lugo has
been Glenn's acting director since March. As Glenn's
director, Lugo is responsible for planning, organizing
and leading the activities needed to accomplish
the missions assigned to the center. Glenn has
research, technology and systems development programs
in space propulsion, space power, space communications,
aeronautical propulsion and microgravity sciences.
NASA News Release: 10-040
- LINDA CURETON, DEPUTY
CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER - NASA
Chief Information Officer Linda Cureton has
announced the appointment of Deborah Diaz as the
agency's new deputy chief information officer.
Diaz will be a key member of the office that provides
information technology services to all staff.
NASA News Release/Full Story: 05-2010
- ALPHONSO V. DIAZ, GSFC
DIRECTOR 1998 - 2004 -
Mr.Al Diaz began his career at NASA in
1964. He became NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's
(GSFC) Deputy Director in 1996, and was appointed
GSFC's Director in 1998. In 2005 Mr. Diaz, then
Associate Administrator of NASA's Science Mission
Directorate, was selected as Hispanic Engineer
of the Year by the Hispanic Engineer National
Achievement Awards Corporation (HENAAC).
NASA LINK: Al
Diaz
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Other sites
that outline NASA Hispanics' Achievements
- Hispanic
Astronauts
- Latina
Women Of NASA (LWON)
- Hispanics@NASA
LaRC - Achievements
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