Famous hispanic scientist doctors and inventors

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month (through October 15, ), the UMHS Endeavour brings you a look at Latino doctors, scientists and educators that made a difference.

**This post has been updated for to include additional Doctors, Scientists and Educators.**

Many (but not all) of the following are Latino Americans, but each one made significant contributions to medicine, science and math in the past century. We celebrate these Latino/Latina scientists, doctors and educations as an inspiration for all students at American and Caribbean medical schools.

Nobel Prize winner Severo Ochoa. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Severo Ochoa, Academic, Chemist, Scientist ()

This Spanish-American biochemist and molecular biologist was co-awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine and is known as "The man behind RNA" for “discovering an enzyme that enables the synthesis of RNA,” according to National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Helen Rodriguez Trías, (), First Latina President of the

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Spotlighting Latinx Scientists

Latinx Heritage Month takes place each year from September 15 to October Many great Latinx scientists are people you may have never learned about in school. From groundbreaking biologists and physicists to innovators in the fields of medicin, botany, and environmental studies, here are a few game-changing Latinx scientists that you should know.

Albert Baez (–)

Albert Baez is the father of singers Joan Baez and Mimi Fariña, as well as a Mexican-American physicist who co-invented the X-ray reflection microscope. This microscope allows scientists to examine living cells. Although he created the device in , it’s still a crucial scientific tool to this day.

A pacifist, Baez refused a series of defense industry positions during the Cold War arms race and instead conducted research and taught physics at multiple institutions including the University of the Redlands, Baghdad University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Harvey Mudd Colle

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The Hispanic Inventors Changing the World

Luis von Ahn

Guatemalan-born computer scientist Luis von Ahn has profoundly impacted both online security and language learning.

 

Von Ahn didn’t stop there; he later co-founded Duolingo, a free language-learning platform that democratized education, making it accessible to millions around the globe. Duolingo’s innovative approach to language learning has earned it a place as the world’s most popular language-learning app, highlighting von Ahn&#;s commitment to making knowledge accessible to all.

Learn more about Luis von Ahn.

 

 

Luis E. Miramontes

Inventor of the Oral Contraceptive

Mexican chemist Luis E. Miramontes is celebrated for his role in the creation of the first oral contraceptive pill, a groundbreaking development in the field of medicine. In , as a year-old undergraduate student, Miramontes synthesized the hormone norethindrone, the active ingredient that became the foundation of the birth contr