These Hispanic inventors, many of which toiled in obscurity have incredible stories that are worth sharing. Ochoas family is originally from Mexico, but they moved to California before she was born. Due to the sponge's practicality, Silva developed a basic prototype. The following year she was the Payload Commander on the Atlantis mission. Before being hired at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas as Director of the Artificial Heart Program, he worked in Lyon, France. Later, in 2002, Silva was able to capitalize on the product and develop a commercial product that would earn her numerous honors and propel her business to the top of the cosmetics sector. Heres what the terms Latino, Hispanic, and Latinx mean and how to use them. Called the "Enciclopedia Mecnica" (Mechanical Encyclopedia), she received several patents for the device. On February 8, 1963, he was permitted to transmit Paraso Infantil on the station he founded in Mexico City, XHGC-TV, the country's first officially announced color broadcast. She went on four missions with NASA, spending 978 hours in outer space. Luis von Ahn is also the co-founder ofDuolingo, a completely free app that has caused major buzz among those wanting to learn another language. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Miguel Angel Ondetti has been granted more than 100 patents, including U.S. Patent 4,105,776 for "Proline Derivatives and Related Compounds" also known as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors to treat hypertension. This includes people who reported detailed Hispanic or Latino groups.". Currently, he is the Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Morn in Argentina. Marianne Paguia Gonzalez, a technologist and systems engineer at JPL-NASA, gives us insights into her work for the space agency and a whole lot of pointers on getting into NASA. Madame C.J. Downing who invented a public mailbox design that featured both an outer and inner safety door, ensuring that when a letter or package went in, it would be safe until it was picked up by the mailman. From searching for solutions to climate change challenges to finding cures for terminal illnesses, Latin American women innovators are . For now, I would like to share a few intriguing stories, primarily of people who have been documented at the Lemelson Centerso far. Today, transdermal drug patches are used to distribute contraceptives, antidepressants, nicotine, and pain medications. In 1790, Jos Antonio de Alzate invented the automatic shutter, which avoids overflowing in water tanks, cisterns and toilets. I am slowly compiling a database thathopefully will provide the basis for more in-depth research on Hispanic inventors and innovators for publications, programs, and exhibitions at the Smithsonian and beyond. This celebration started as a week-long event in 1968 to honor the culture and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. She participated in four NASA missions and spent 978 hours in space. He is the president of Instabook Corporation, based in Gainesville, Florida. In putting together my thoughts for Hispanic Heritage Month, I called on my old friend Dr. Jose (Joe) V. Martinez. Allegedly, the idea of the naturally occurring flow system in a waterfall led him to take his diamond scalpel invention and combine it with an ultramicrotome to significantly improve the ultra-thin sectioning of electron microscopy samples. Born in Uruguay, Alejandro Zaffaroni was one of the most innovative and impactful pioneers in the history of biotechnology. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde, PhD, RN (1920-2010): Changing the face of nursing. "Top List of Mexican Inventors." He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2012. (She created the first, Madam Walker's Wonderful Hair Grower, in 1905.) "Hispanic or Latino refers to a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race. Ellen Ochoa. Palmaz was admitted to the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006. Hispanic inventors have made considerable contributions to science and technology throughout the ages. Her inventions now help NASA process information collected on missions. The system's upgraded version, reCAPTCHA, is now used by almost all web servers. But perhaps most important of all, September is when National Hispanic Heritage Month begins! Peral presented his idea to the Spanish navy staff after conducting various investigations and experiments and receiving approval from his superiors and fellow officers. The following year he also published observations of his larynx and vocal cords made with a small dental mirror introduced into the throat and using sunlight reflected by another mirror, becoming the first person to study human vocal folds in action. The Alaskan Inuit people were the first to build and use kayaks, at least 4,000 years ago. The primary active component of one of the first birth control pills, which Syntex Laboratories, Inc. later branded as Norinyl, was norethindrone. She was born Sarah Breedlove on 12/23/1867 in Delta Louisiana. Miranda was born in 1980 in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City . When in use, it would adapt black-and-white TVs to color without the need to buy a new set. World Book Online is an engaging, verified, and trustworthy digital resource for grades pre-K through high school. He stopped performing on stage at a young age and started giving lessons at the Paris Conservatory in the 1830s and the Royal Academy of Music in London from the 1840s onwards. Ochoa was a revolutionist who sought to overthrow the rule of Mexico's chief executive in the early nineties. The"auto shutter Tico". Born in El Salvador, Jacobo G. Maria was granted U.S. Patent 4,366,935 for a "Device and Process for Spinning or Twisting and Winding Yarn.". Bellis, Mary. Historically, September gives us plenty of reasons to rejoice. A laundry operation circa 1925 . Mario Molina. From 1958 to 1965, Arias Surez was the director of Chile's Instituto de Investigacin y Ensayos de Materiales (IDIEM, or Materials Research and Testing Institute). He immigrated to the United States in 1884 and . He continued to study and teach privately until his death in London in July of 1906 at the age of 101. In 1969, Liotta developed the total artificial heart that would be used for the first time at St. Lukes Episcopal Hospital in Houston. America's white-male-centered imaginings of inventorship and patenting extend beyond the nation's borders, in . He would later make history by developing the first total artificial heart to be successfully implanted in a human in 1969. Madam C.J. A brief listing of notable Black American inventors. Walker, she manufactured beauty products for other African-American women using formulas she developed after working for a pharmacist who taught her chemistry. Victor L. Ochoa Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. His model was made using two mirrors and the sun for an external light source. Find out how to protect intellectual property in other countries. Few Hispanic Americans have made a bigger impact in recent pop culture than Lin-Manuel Miranda. ", National Science Foundation Director France A. Crdova presenting the fiscal year 2017 NSF budget request on February 9, 2016. The first nuclear research reactor in Venezuela, the RV-1, one of the first in all of Latin America, was put into operation under the direction of Fernndez-Morn in 1957. From award-winning astronauts to some of the brilliant botanists of the 21st century, we're celebrating these famous Hispanic scientists who've had a positive impact on their field. This version was a vast improvement on simply crushing the potatoes on your own as it produced a smoother and more buttery soft potato. We recommend our users to update the browser. On September 20, 1884, after years in the Navy, Peral first had the idea for his "Proyecto de Torpedero Submarino" ("Project for a submarine torpedo-boat"), which he wrote about in a paper. Philanthropist and entrepreneur Madam C.J. Dr. Liotta graduated from the National University of Cordoba in Argentina where he received his doctorate in Medicine and Surgery. Mexican chemist Luis Miramontes was only a graduate student when at 25, he was recruited by the Syntex Corporation to work at their labs. Mario Molina is a Mexican scientist and chemist. Celorio was born on July 27, 1957, in Mexico City. The Beauty blender was developed to save performers from having to be pulled off the set when using an airbrush to apply foundation mid-shoot. It was expanded to its current month-long duration by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006. Nevertheless, the University of Knigsberg later awarded him an honorary M.D. This is a list of inventors and discoverers who are of Spanish origin or otherwise reside in continental Spain or one of the country's oversees territories. He was also the inventor of a windmill, magnetic brakes, a wrench, and a reversible motor. He received the US patent 2296019 on September 15, 1942, for his " chromscopic adapter for television equipment". The following list is composed of items, techniques and processes that were invented by or discovered by people from Spain.. Spain was an important center of knowledge during the medieval era.While most of western and southern Europe suffered from the collapse of the Roman Empire, although declining, some regions of the former empire, Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula), southern Italy, and the . Between 1976 and 1983, he conducted research and taught at the Engineering Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. However, we'll use the official U.S. Census definition for this compilation of inventors, with no distinction made between U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens. Read on to find out the 14 coolest things ever invented by kids. In the spirit of "Hispanic Heritage Month," we at IE thought it might be nice to collate some of the greatest inventors and scientists from the diverse and talented wider Hispanic community. Though annoying at times, reCAPTCHA helps computers differentiate between robots and human beings, keeping internet users safe from malware and spam. Here are 5 incredible inventions by a . Garcia did not foresee the significance of laryngoscopy for medicine; instead, he was concerned about the movements associated with the development of the singing voice. Here is a list of the best technological inventions developed by Latinos. Ochoa also invented the Ochoaplane and the adjustable wrench. Hispanic-Americans, both immigrants and their descendants, have changed the world through their contributions to science, industry, the arts, sports, and politics on Earth, obviously, but even beyond. 4. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), trailblazing Hispanic Americans who made history. Can you describe the problem? For "involuntary reasons" following the military takeover of Chile in 1973, he temporarily moved from Chile to Mexico. Lets start with inventor Victor LeatonOchoa, who was a fascinating character to say the least. Mousepad. Diamond knife. In 1981, ALZA collaborated with the Swiss business Ciba-Geigy, and the FDA approved the first scopolamine transdermal delivery system for motion sickness, Transderm-Scop. ", Born in Panam, Alberto P. Herrera and Sebastian A. Vieto were granted U.S. Patent 4,195,080 for "Insecticidal Use of Orange Juice Essence Oil.". President Lyndon Johnson established the celebration in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week. Born in Ecuador, Graciela V.O. Ochoa also developed the adjustable wrench and the Ochoaplane (an aircraft with foldable wings). Mexican American physicist Albert Baez co-invented the x-ray microscope with Dr. Paul Kirkpatrick in 1948. Dr. Tang is named on 84 patents and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2018 for his co-invention of the OLED. Shereturned to the Discovery in 1999 to help perform the first shuttle docking to the International Space Station, and her final flight was on Atlantis in 2002. Dr. Ellen Ochoa, a veteran astronaut shown here on the flight deck of the space shuttle Atlantis on April 15, 2002, is currently the 11th director of NASAs Johnson Space Center. A native of Venezuela, Dr. Humberto Fernandez-Moran Villalobos invented and patented the diamond scalpel. There he met a lot of children who complained that they couldn't play football. A more recent Lemelson Center connection was made with Manuel Manny Villafaa, who is briefly highlighted in the Centers Places of Invention exhibition and whose papers are in the Archives Center along with his heart valve collection housed in the Museums Division of Medicine and Science. Born in Ojinaga, Mexico in 1850, he moved to Texas and later lived in New York and New Jersey, becoming a UScitizen in 1889. According to the Smithsonian, Victor Ochoa had a reward of $50,000 offered for his delivery dead or alive to Porfirio Diaz, President of Mexico. Famous Hispanic people and inventors help us carry on Hispanic Heritage Month with pride and teach future generations about their culture and its contributions. (1941-) is an engineer and inventor. "Top List of Mexican Inventors." Historically, entrepreneurs have relied on patents to protect their inventions from market competitors. The inventor was issued U.S. Patent No. Sarah Breedlove Walker was an inventor and businesswoman, and became one of the largest employers of African-American women of her time. Chemist, Luis Miramontes co-invented the contraceptive pill. ", Born in Chile, Luis Alejandro Cavallo Caroca was granted U.S. Design Patent D582,231 for the "Ornamental Design of a Corkscrew" and also U.S. Design Patent D584,122 for the "Ornamental Design of Scissors.". Guerilla warfare was first documented during the Napoleonic invasion of Spain in the 19the Century. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images. Angela Ruiz Robles (1895-1975) was a pioneer and inventor of the mechanical forerunner of the electronic book. Show 4 more items. At that point, the government approved the NTSC television color standard. Madam C.J Walker was an inventor, entrepreneur and first African American woman to become a millionaire. Nikola Tesla, (born July 9/10, 1856, Smiljan, Austrian Empire [now in Croatia]died January 7, 1943, New York, New York, U.S.), Serbian American inventor and engineer who discovered and patented the rotating magnetic field, the basis of most alternating-current machinery. He created his . Liotta is not only a gifted heart surgeon, but hes also responsible for creating the first artificial heart used in a human being! ThoughtCo, Jul. Any copies of the burned patents that were obtained from the inventors were given a number as well, ending in 'X' to mark them as part of the destroyed batch. Ochoa was the first Hispanic woman to go to space when she served on a nine-day mission aboard the shuttle Discovery in 1993. Celebrate Albert Bez's invention by using cereal boxes and paper to make x-ray tablets, ripping up paper to make a skeleton arm, or by making . Guerrilla warfare was developed in Spain. So every time you turn on the TV and enjoy your favorite show or sport, remember the contributions of Gonzlez Camarena! This Spanish inventor was responsible for the creation of one of the lesser-known Spanish inventions, the pencil sharpener. . Mara Gonzlez patented processes to diagnose invasive amebiasis, a parasitic disease that kills over 100,000 people each year. I was surprised initially by the limited information available in peer-reviewed publications, credible online sources, and research data sets. Hispanic Heritage Month is in full swing. Victor Ochoa invented an early form of electrical brakes. Guatemalan-born Luis von Ahn created the CAPTCHA and reCAPTCHA systems for cyber security. October 29, 1991 - Bone Marrow Transplant. 01.23.20 at 4:43 pm. He is best known as the creator of an electrical glove called the "AcceleGlove," which converts American Sign Language hand gestures into spoken and written words. Unfortunately, there isnt a lot of detailed information about his invention career since then but, according to his 2017 TEDxBuap biography, Hernndez-Rebollar returned to his native country and is now a professor and researcher at his undergraduate alma mater. In the 1970s, Zaffaroni was granted patents for transdermal systemic medication delivery. from Santa Clara University, School of Law. These innovative creations and more wouldn't exist today if it weren't for the brilliant minds of these 10 African American inventors. To develop his concepts for controlled medication delivery systems, Zaffaroni established the ALZA Corporation in 1968. Right: The Ochoaplane invented by Victor Ochoa around 1908-1911, undated, AC0590-0000009. A doctorate holder and one of the world leaders in semiconductor technology . Courtesy of a Fulbright scholarship, he came to the USto earn a PhD in electrical engineering at George Washington University, where he received two USPatents (7,565,295 and 8,140,339) both for a method and apparatus for translating hand gestures for the AcceleGlove. Is Europa habitable? By successfully isolating stem cells, Tsukamoto's team opened up a whole realm of possibilities for future medical advancements and cures. Born in Puerto Rico, Guanglou Cheng, Carlos A. Ramirez, and Mara Aponte were granted U.S. Patent 7,427,654 for "Degradable Polymides" for use in medical applications. He would later send his first color transmission from his lab in Mexico City on August 31, 1946. The development of sign language dates back to the 17th century and has given those with hearing loss the ability to communicate easily. Thats why in the early aughts, Mexican scientist Jos Hernndez-Rebollar invented an electric glove that can turn sign language into spoken words and text. Victor Celorio was granted US patents 6012890 and 6213703 for his invention. For his invention, Camarena became the first person in history to receive a patent for the development of a color television (U.S. Patent 2,296,019). He is also credited with developing clips for pencils and pens, which enable them to fit into shirt pockets. 1. Rea Ann Silva and her now famous invention. We may have questions about your feedback, please provide your email address. Source. CAPTCHA stands for Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart and was invented in 2000 in part by Guatemalan professor of computer science, Luis Von Ahn. I was shocked to learn she became the first Hispanic female astronaut in space. Born in Uruguay, Alejandro Zaffaroni has been granted over 45 patents to date, including U.S. Patent 3,598,122 "Bandage for Administering Drugs." That honor for the earliest incubator ever developed goes to a device created in 1800s France. A later version, shown here, had a framework of steel tubing with wings that he wanted to construct so they could fold back and over the plane so it could be stored in a barn or garage. Manny Villafaa at St. Jude Medical headquarters, June 27, 2013. In 1969, Liotta developed the first total artificial heart to . Born in Spain, Jesus Maria Sanchez-Prez is a neurosurgeon that was granted U.S. Patent 2,617,944 for "Serial Roentgenography" circulatory system x-rays. He did serve two years in jail and lost his U.S. citizenshipfor organizing an army in the United States for the purpose of invading Mexico. After his release, President Theodore Roosevelt restored his citizenship by a special proclamation in 1906. Paper-bag-making machine. At the young age of 23, Mexican engineer Guillermo Gonzlez Camarena patented a system that would allow television to be viewed in color, instead of in black and white. In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, we took a look at some of those influential figures who have brought important innovations to a variety of . In conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month, the Department of Commerce's United States Patent and Trademark Office is recognizing some Hispanic Americans whose inventions contributed to the nation's social and economic well-being. Victor Ochoa was the Mexican American inventor of the Ochoaplane. Ochoa was a revolutionist who sought to overthrow the rule of Mexicos chief executive in the early nineties. Find upcoming programs related to IP policy and international affairs. Though grouping such a diverse collection of people under a single rubric -- particularly the politically expedient but dubious term Hispanic - isn't ideal, it does make room to explore their wide-ranging array of backgrounds and accomplishments. Vice-admiral Pezuela y Lobo, the minister of the Spanish navy, received a letter from him in September 1885. The Three-Light Traffic Signal, Invented by Garrett Morgan in 1923. He was made Minister of Science in the final year of the Marcos Prez Jimnez dictatorship and was forced to flee Venezuela in 1958 when the regime was abolished. Zaffaroni patented these early transdermal drug devices in the 1970s. Dr. Villalobos would combine his highly precise scalpel with a microtome into a new device that enabled researchers to cut very thin slices of tissue, minerals or plant matter to be examined under the microscope. https://www.thoughtco.com/list-of-hispanic-inventors-1991700 (accessed March 4, 2023). The Palmaz-Schatz Stent was given a patent, Johnson & Johnson, a healthcare provider, provided funding, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it. Alejandro Zaffaroni (1923-2014) was a biotechnology pioneer. A true character in his time, religion and . [18] [19] [20] Beard, Andrew. Ochoa was the first Hispanic woman to go to space when she served on a nine-day mission aboard the shuttle Discovery in 1993. 7,077,022 on July 18, 2006. Norton is a master of figuring out a new purpose for each discarded part. Von Ahn is also a co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of the language-learning software Duolingo and a consulting professor in the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The creation of norethindrone, a compound obtained from the tortoise plant (dioscorea Mexicana), a wild Mexican yam, was essential to the idea. He . In other words, his invention helped introduce the world to colored television! Causing them to bath and wash their hair infrequently. Born in California, Ellen Ochoa was granted U.S. Patent 4,838,644 for "Position, Rotation, and Intensity Invariant Recognizing Method " and two other optical-related patents. 6. What Were Other Inventions Made by Hispanics? The AcceleGlove contains sensors that work with a micro-controller attached to the wearer's arm and maps the movement of the arm and fingers. Left: Victor Leaton Ochoa, inventor and Mexican revolutionary, undated, AC0590-0000008. 1938-2009. In 1986, he gave the National Library of Medicine a collection of his papers. Inventors Jacob Fitzgerald and William H. Silver applied for a patent for the 'potato-masher and fruit-crusher' which was designed to crush the potato through a series of small holes, similar to a garlic press. She went on four missions with NASA, spending 978 hours in outer space. Born in Guatemala City, Dr. Luis Von Ahn was granted U.S. Patent 8,555,353 for "Methods and Apparatuses for Controlling Access to Computer Systems and for Annotating Media Files" - or Captcha for distinguishing human from machine input to prevent spam and automated extraction of data from web sites. Khler "for theories concerning the specificity in development and control of the immune system and the discovery of the principle for production of monoclonal antibodies. Richwine's dissertation parts from a fallacy. Its those I am not a robot checkboxes and distorted text images that you have to complete before accessing certain pages. Returning to the topic of Nobel Prize winners, besides chemist Mario Molina mentioned above, there are several Hispanic Nobelists in the sciences who deserve recognition. Uruguayan entrepreneur and biochemist Alejandro Zaffaroni created a system for drugs to be administered to the body through skin bandages. As the father of modern neuroscience, the list of his discoveries in this field is quite long, and most of them have very complicated names. He was also inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007. And, on the 8th of September, 1888, it was launched. Yes, colour television was invented by a Mexican: Guillermo Gonzlez Camarena. Guatemalan-born Luis von Ahn is regarded as one of the pioneers of crowdsourcing. NASA uses her innovations to process data gathered during missions to this very day. Dr. Liotta developed the organ in 1969 at a hospital in Houston, Texas. The World's Greatest Inventors And What They Invented Invented: A variation on the induction telegraph The magnitude of an inventors work can often be defined by the esteem in which he is held by fellow inventors. Garca retired from the Royal Academy of Music in 1895 at the age of 90. His field is electrical engineering, and the sensor-studded glove was his doctoral engineering project. In 1991, Ann Tsukamoto and her team patented a discovery that would change the medical field forever stem cell transplants. In 1951, Miramontes, then a college student, was under the direction of Syntex Corp Ceo George Rosenkranz and researcher Carl Djerassi. The first publicly-announced color broadcast in Mexico . He created the "Instrumental Seismic Intensity" or "Arias Intensity" (AI) method in 1970. 10 Awesome Latino Inventions. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/list-of-hispanic-inventors-1991700. According to the World Health Organization, over 5 percent of the population worldwide suffers from hearing trouble and this invention has the potential to revolutionize the way we communicate. In addition to inventing, Ochoa was also an ardent supporter of the Mexican Revolution and at one point there was a $50,000 bounty on his head. (2021, July 31). It is also thought that he invented the pencil and pen clips that allow them to attach to shirt pockets. Some of the things you have used -and some you haven't- were invented by a Latino and you didn't even know it. Fortunately, the more I search, the more stories I unearth of Hispanicengineers, scientists, and other specialists developing inventions and innovations in fields ranging from aerospace and information technology to chemical engineering and medical devices. Although Lvano's invention, the Incuven, regulates temperature and lowers the risk of infection for infants, it was not the first ever developed. Chief among them was the invention of the diamond knife or scalpel and a significant advancement in the creation of electromagnetic lenses for electron microscopy based on superconducting technology. Peruvian engineer Claudio Castilln Lvano created a portable respirator and incubator for premature babies. Material in this article is for general information or entertainment purposes only and was accurate as of the date of first publication. Made from a material that is specifically designed to retain moisture, rather than repel it, the beautyblender gives the perfect application of foundation every time. Bellis, Mary. Do you have a favorite Hispanic inventor of your own? Field: Botanist, Inventor and Teacher. Liotta belonged to several international medical associations throughout his life. One day, a machine broke in the assembly line, causing some Cheetos to not get dusted with the bright orange cheese powder, so Richard took some home and put chili powder on them. (Originally published by VOXXI as "5 influential inventions by Latinos") Hispanic Heritage Month is coming to an end, and here at VOXXI we wanted to salute the great Latino inventors. In addition to being a noted physicist, he was also a passionate humanitarian and educator. After more than 20 years of study and labor by Lvano and his colleagues, the United States granted Lvano's patent. For the next three hours, you enjoy the vibrant colors and pristine pictures as your favorite team defeats the opposition. File a trademark application and other documents online through TEAS. Ochoa became most notoriousas a Mexican revolutionary; in the 1890s, he had a $50,000 bounty on his head,to be delivered dead or alive to President Porfirio Daz of Mexico! Courtesy of NASA, A few stories of often overlooked inventors and innovators in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. From birth control pills to color television, Mexican inventors have contributed to creating many notable inventions. So, with that out of the way, in homage to this month of Hispanic heritage and pride, we have honored some of the many noteworthy Hispanic inventors and engineers. Born in Hungary and then later he migrated to Argentina, Jozsef Bir Laszlo was granted U.S. Patent 2,258,841 October 14, 1941 for a "Fountain Pen" - the father of the modern ballpoint pen. In 2005, the Lemelson Center featured Mexican graduate student inventor Jos Luis Hernndez-Rebollar in our Innovative Lives program series. Trademarks are property of their respective owner. These are some of their most notable names and contributions. These Hispanic women changed the world. Ellen Ochoa (1958-present): First Hispanic Woman to Visit The Space; Top 10 Famous Hispanic Scientists #10. This is done for security purposes to block out hackers and bots that may do damage. She first became interested in optics while a fellowship student at Stanford University. And one group of Latinos who are deserving of recognition is made up of scientists and inventors whose . In 2012, Ochoa became the first Hispanic and second woman to be named Director of NASAs Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston, Texas. Manuel Patricio Rodrguez Garca (1805-1906) was born on the 17th of March, 1805, in either Zafra in the Badajoz Province of Spain or Madrid. Domingo Santo Liotta was born in Argentina in 1924 to Italian immigrants and went on to become a heart surgery pioneer.