Pedro Rodriguez (NASA)
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Dr. Pedro Rodriguez,
Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is a ...
, (born 1953), is the Director of a test laboratory at
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
and inventor of a portable, battery-operated lift seat for people suffering from knee
arthritis Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In som ...
.


Early years

Pedro Rodriguez was born in
Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
to the Puerto Rican
salsa Salsa most often refers to: * Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments * Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music * Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music Salsa or SALSA may also refer to: A ...
singer, Pellin Rodríguez and Elba Lopez Perez, who met in New York while Pellin's band was touring. Rodriguez is the first of three children for the couple. As a child, Rodriguez was always surrounded by musical instruments and by personalities from the entertainment world. He wanted to become a musician like his father, but his father objected because he wanted Pedro to get a college education. The family settled in the city of
Bayamón, Puerto Rico Bayamón (, ) is a Bayamón barrio-pueblo, city, Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality of Puerto Rico and suburb of San Juan, Puerto Rico, San Juan located in the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico, Aguas Buenas an ...
. There, young Pedro started to become more interested in the field of science than in the field of music. During his school years, he excelled in the subjects of math and science. In 1971, Rodriguez graduated from La Salle High School with honors.NASA News
Rodriguez enrolled in the
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez The University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus (UPRM) or Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez (RUM) in Spanish (also referred to as Colegio and CAAM in allusion to its former name), is a public land-grant university in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. UPRM ...
and changed majors four times before deciding to become an engineer. He earned a
bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
in
mechanical engineering Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science, to design, analyze, manufacture, and ...
in 1976. That same year, recruiters from NASA were conducting interviews at the campus. He was hired by NASA as an engineer, designing special test equipment at the
Marshall Space Flight Center The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), located in Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (Huntsville postal address), is the U.S. government's civilian rocketry and spacecraft propulsion research center. As the largest NASA center, MSFC's first ...
in
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
. Since then, Rodriguez has held several positions at NASA.Marshall News
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Career in NASA

Rodriguez enrolled in the
University of Alabama in Huntsville The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is a public research university in Huntsville, Alabama. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and comprises nine colleges: arts, humanities & social science ...
to pursue a
master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.
. While pursuing his master's degree, Rodriguez moved to
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
and worked on jet engines for NASA contractor Pratt & Whitney, a United Technologies company. He earned his master's degree in mechanical engineering in 1982. In 1997, he earned his doctorate in
civil engineering Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewage ...
, from the
University of Mississippi The University of Mississippi (byname Ole Miss) is a public research university that is located adjacent to Oxford, Mississippi, and has a medical center in Jackson. It is Mississippi's oldest public university and its largest by enrollment. ...
. Rodriguez was the leader of the Solid Rocket Booster accident investigation team following the
Space Shuttle Columbia Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' (OV-102) was a Space Shuttle orbiter manufactured by Rockwell International and operated by NASA. Named after the Columbia Rediviva, first American ship to circumnavigate the upper North American Pacific coast and the ...
accident in February 2003 and was also the project manager for the Space Launch Initiative program. After 32 years with NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center and serving in various senior leadership positions, including the Director of the test laboratory in the Engineering Directorate at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, and Assistant to the Chief Engineer, Rodriguez retired from NASA. Shortly after retirement he joined a small technology company in Huntsville Alabama, Victory Solutions, Inc. as Senior Vice President for Space Systems and Chief Technology Officer. In these roles he is responsible for developing new technologies and supporting company growth in highly technical engineering support services.


Written works

Among the written works authored or co-authored by Rodriguez are the following: *"On the analytical determination of relaxation modulus of viscoelastic materials by Prony's interpolation method" (1986) Document ID: 19870008022; Report Number: NAS 1.1586579, NASA-TM-86579 *"Application Of Prony's Method To Data On Viscoelasticity" (1988) Document ID: 19880000452; Report Number: MFS-27179 *"On the design of structural components using materials with time-dependent properties" (1993) Document ID: 19940012046; Report Number: NAS 1.15108428, NASA-TM-108428 *"AXAF hypervelocity impact test results" (1997) Document ID: 19980005952 *"Introduction Aims and Requirements of Future Aerospace Vehicles" (2001) Document ID: 20010020951 *"MPLM On-Orbit Interface Dynamic Flexibility Modal Test" (2001) Document ID: 20010020953NASA Technical Report Server
/ref>


Awards and recognitions

Among the awards and recognitions bestowed upon Rodriguez are: NASA's Exceptional Service Medal, NASA Inventors Award for the invention of the portable, battery-operated lift seat for people suffering from knee arthritis, the
Silver Snoopy Award The Silver Snoopy award is a special honor awarded to NASA employees and contractors for outstanding achievements related to human flight safety or mission success. The award certificate states that it is "In Appreciation" "For professionalism, d ...
, and The Marshall Center Directors Commendation Award as "Outstanding Hispanic Employee". The Puerto Rican Senate recognized Dr. Rodriguez with a resolution marking his engineering achievement.


Personal life

Dr. Rodriguez is a member of the
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is a professional society for the field of aerospace engineering. The AIAA is the U.S. representative on the International Astronautical Federation and the International Council of ...
and of the
American Society of Civil Engineers American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
. He currently resides in
Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville is a city in Madison County, Limestone County, and Morgan County, Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Madison County. Located in the Appalachian region of northern Alabama, Huntsville is the most populous city in t ...
.


See also

* List of Puerto Ricans *
Puerto Rican scientists and inventors Before Christopher Columbus and the Spanish Conquistadors landed on the island of "Borikén" (Puerto Rico), the Tainos who inhabited the island depended on their astronomical observations for the cultivation of their crops. In 1581, Juan ...
*
List of Puerto Ricans in the United States Space Program This is a list of notable Puerto Rican scientists involved in the United States Space Program, also known as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and their contributions to said program. This list is not limited to Puerto Rica ...
* University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez people


References


External links


Famous Puerto Ricans
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodriguez, Pedro 1953 births Living people NASA people Puerto Rican scientists Puerto Rican inventors 20th-century American scientists 21st-century American scientists Scientists from Brooklyn University of Alabama alumni University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez people