Ciencia Boricua Profiles

Every month we profile the work of an outstanding CienciaPR member or discuss a topic of relevance to our community

Dr. José R. Fernández: Training scientists from the Heart of Dixie

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Dr. José R. Fernández

A little about ancestral genetics, genuine passion for research, the absence of absolute truths, and the unique reward of training the new generation of future scientists.  These are just a few of the topics and thoughts that Dr. José Fernández shared with CienciaPR.

JOUST: A new space to diseminate undergraduate research

Greetchen Díaz-Muñoz's picture

"One of the pleasures of research is when a refereed journal accepts to publish your technical work." says Dr. Mauricio Cabrera Ríos, professor at the Industrial Engineering Department, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, when he explains why the idea of creating the Journal of Undergraduate Research Students (JOUST) arose.

Ubaldo M. Córdova: transforming research culture in Puerto Rico

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Dr. Ubaldo Córdova wants to make sure that young scientists and faculty in Puerto Rico have a support system for professional development.

Dr. Ubaldo M. Córdova knew from a very early age that he wanted to be a scientist. He confirmed this thought when he had to complete a special project for his geography class in high school. For this project, a shy and introvert Ubaldo, built a geography map of Puerto Rico. He designed a very precise map that marked the Island’s municipalities using colorful sand. Based on the sophistication of his design- where the different colors of sand did not mix and every piece fit perfectly- his teacher told him that he would become an engineer.

Roberto Torretti: A Life Dedicated to the Philosophy of Science

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Dr. Roberto Torretti y su esposa, la Dra. Carla Cordua

A quick glance at the history of science is enough to notice its enormous progress, especially in the last 100 years. As theories, laws, hypotheses, models, data, and speculations about the natural world are developed, revised and discarded by scientists, they have transformed into highly sub-specialized professionals.

Yoira Díaz-Sanabria: from environmental engineering to nuclear energy

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Engineer Yoira Díaz-Sanabria

 

Engineer Yoira Díaz Sanabria was always attracted to science, especially biology and chemistry. “My mother was a biology teacher and science is in my blood”. She considered going into medicine or medical technology, but at the time to decide for college she chose to study chemical engineering.

Yoira is originally from Las Piedras, the city of artisans. She was raised and attended school in eastern Puerto Rico. When the time for college came around, based on her decision to pursue engineering, her parents did not hesitate to send her to University of Puerto Mayagüez, where they knew she would receive the best education.

Larissa Avilés Santa: from the clinic to public health

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Dr. Larissa Avilés Santa during a medical trip to Guatemala. Photo courtesy of Dr. Larissa Avilés Santa.

From a young age, Dr. Larissa Avilés Santa knew she wanted to study the human body. “When I was in fourth or fifth grade I remember opening an Anatomy atlas and how fascinated I was by each illustration. The part of the book that caught my attention was the one about the male and female reproductive systems, and the explanation about the menstrual cycle and pregnancy,” she says. It was back then that her interest in endocrinology was born.

Gilberto Cintrón Morelo: A passion for science born from the sea

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Gilberto Cintron
Marine biologist, Gilberto Cintrón Morelo

Out of his fascination for understanding the world around him, scientist Gilberto Cintrón Morelo fell in love with the sea. Don Gilberto has dedicated his life to build a successful career as a marine ecologist, preserving coastal ecosystems in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean region. His professional achievements demonstrate that a deep understanding of basic scientific principles is needed to protect the environment.

In his own words: Joseph Taylor and a Nobel prize made in Puerto Rico

Wilson Gonzalez-Espada's picture
Arecibo Observatory. Photo: naic.edu

In 1974, a young astrophysics college professor sent his even younger doctoral student to spend several weeks in Arecibo, a city some 50 miles west of San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. This northern city is the site of the world's largest single-dish radio telescope, known as the Arecibo Observatory.

Borinqueña : A new space for Puerto Rican and Hispanic women in science

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Logo for "Borinqueña", a blog for hispanic women in science
Borinqueña, a new initiative for Hispanic women in science

Almost 140 years have passed since famed Puerto Rican educator, philosopher, and lawyer, Eugenio Maria de Hostos, revolutionized Latin American intellectual spheres by publishing a passionate essay advocating for science education for women. Back in Hostos’ days, women still lacked the right to vote and few had access to any type of higher education.

Listening to the whispers from the stars

Wilson Gonzalez-Espada's picture
Dr. Wanda Díaz
Dr. Wanda Díaz Merced has created a system that lets her "listen" to the stars (Credit: William Leibman)

Frequently, science teachers ask their students to draw a scientist so that they can get a sense of what students think and imagine about scientists. Thousands and thousands of drawings show the same stereotypical characteristics: a male scientist, white, dressed in a lab coat, usually a chemist mixing liquids and generating explosions, and a person that does not have any physical limitations. 

No student has ever drawn a scientist like Dr. Wanda Díaz Merced.  This young woman from Gurabo embodies the scientific anti-stereotype. Not only is she a woman and Puerto Rican, but also she completed her doctoral work in astrophysics, and without being able to use her sight.

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