Biography of José Hernández, Former NASA Astronaut

Biography of Josà © Hernndez, Former NASA Astronaut Josà © Hernndez (born August 7, 1962) overcame enormous barriers to become one of the few  Latinos to serve as an astronaut for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Raised in a family of field workers, he nevertheless found support for his dreams and achieved his goal of space flight. Hernndez occasionally found himself in the midst of controversy because of his outspoken positions regarding Latin culture and immigration to the United States. Fast Facts: Josà © M. Hernndez Known For: Former NASA astronautBorn: August 7, 1962, in French Camp, CaliforniaParents: Julia Hernndez,  Salvador HernndezEducation:  University of the Pacific, University of California, Santa BarbaraAwards and Honors:  Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Award (1995), Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists Medalla de Oro (1999), U.S. Department of Energy  Outstanding Performance Commendation (2000), NASA Service Awards (2002, 2003), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Outstanding Engineer Award (2001)Spouse: Adelita HernandezChildren: Antonio, Vanessa, Karina, JulioPublished Works: Reaching for the Stars: The Inspiring Story of a Migrant Farmworker Turned AstronautNotable Quote: Now its my turn! Early Life Josà © Hernndez was born  on August 7, 1962, in French Camp, California. His parents Salvador and Julia were Mexican immigrant migrant workers. Each March, Hernndez, the youngest of four children, journeyed with his family from Michoacn, Mexico, to Southern California. Picking crops as they traveled, the family would then proceed north to Stockton, California. When Christmas approached, the family would head back to Mexico before returning to the U.S. in the spring.  He remarked in an interview for the NASA website, â€Å"Some kids might think it would be fun to travel like that, but we had to work. It wasn’t a vacation.†Ã¢â‚¬â€¹ At the urging of a second-grade teacher, Hernndez’s parents eventually settled in the Stockton area of California to provide their children with more structure. Despite being born in California, the Mexican-American Hernndez did not learn English until he was 12 years old. Aspiring Engineer In school, Hernndez enjoyed math and science. He decided he wanted to be an astronaut after watching the Apollo spacewalks on television. Hernndez was also drawn to the profession in 1980, when he found out that NASA had picked Costa Rican native Franklin Chang-Diaz, one of the first Hispanics to journey into space, as an astronaut. Hernndez said in a NASA interview that he, then a high school senior, still remembers the moment he heard the news. â€Å"I was hoeing a row of sugar beets in a field near Stockton, California, and I heard on my transistor radio that Franklin Chang-Diaz had been selected for the Astronaut Corps. I was already interested in science and engineering, but that was the moment I said, ‘I want to fly in space.’† After he finished high school, Hernndez studied electrical engineering at the University of the Pacific in Stockton. From there, he pursued graduate studies in engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Although his parents were migrant workers, Hernndez said they prioritized his education by making sure he completed his homework and studied consistently. â€Å"What I always say to Mexican parents, Latino parents is that we shouldn’t spend so much time going out with friends drinking beer and watching telenovelas, and should spend more time with our families and kids...challenging our kids to pursue dreams that may seem unreachable,† Hernndez said in a controversial interview with the Los Angles Times. Breaking Ground, Joining NASA Once he completed his studies, Hernndez landed a job with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 1987. There, he engaged in work with a commercial partner that resulted in the creation of the first full-field digital mammography imaging system, used to spot breast cancer in its first stages. Hernndez followed his groundbreaking work at Lawrence Laboratory by closing in on his dream of becoming an astronaut. In 2001, he signed on as a NASA materials research engineer at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, helping with Space Shuttle and International Space Station missions. He went on to serve as the Materials and Processes Branch chief in 2002, a role he filled until NASA selected him for its space program in 2004. After applying for 12 straight years to enter the program, Hernndez was at long last headed to space. After undergoing physiological, flight, and water and wilderness survival training as well as training on Shuttle and International Space Station systems, Hernndez completed Astronaut Candidate Training in February 2006. Three-and-a-half years later, Hernndez journeyed on the STS-128 shuttle mission, during which he oversaw the transfer of more than 18,000 pounds of equipment between the shuttle and the International Space Station and helped with robotics operations, according to NASA. The STS-128 mission traveled more than 5.7 million miles in just under two weeks. Immigration Controversy After Hernndez returned from space, he found himself at the center of controversy. That’s because he commented on Mexican television that from space he enjoyed seeing the Earth without borders and called for comprehensive immigration reform, arguing that undocumented workers play an important role in the U.S. economy. His remarks reportedly displeased his NASA superiors, who were quick to point out that Hernndez’s views did not represent the organization as a whole. â€Å"I work for the U.S. government, but as an individual, I have a right to my personal opinions,† Hernndez said in a follow-up interview with the Los Angeles Times. â€Å"Having 12 million undocumented people here means there’s something wrong with the system, and the system needs to be fixed.† Beyond NASA After a 10-year run at NASA, Hernndez left the government agency in January 2011 to serve as executive director for Strategic Operations at aerospace company MEI Technologies Inc. in Houston. â€Å"Josà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s talent and dedication have contributed greatly to the agency, and he is an inspiration to many,† said Peggy Whitson, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. â€Å"We wish him all the best with this new phase of his career.† Sources Connelly, Richard. â€Å"Jose Hernandez, Astronaut Who Sparked Immigration Controversy, Retires from NASA.†Ã‚  Houston Press, 18 Jan. 2019.Dunbar, Brian. â€Å"Meet NASAs Future Explorer - Jose Hernandez.†Ã‚  NASA.NASA. â€Å"Astronaut Jose Hernandez Leaves NASA.†Ã‚  PR Newswire, 30 June 2018.Wall, Mike. â€Å"Migrant Farmer-Turned-Astronaut Jose Hernandez Leaves NASA.†Ã‚  Space.com, 17 Jan. 2011.Wilkinson, Tracy. â€Å"Mexican American Astronaut Isnt Changing Course on Immigration Stand.†Ã‚  Los Angeles Times, 17 Sept. 2009.

Italian Book Club Linguality - Parallel Text

Italian Book Club Linguality - Parallel Text Reading Italian literature can be demanding for non-native speakers. Frequently referring to a dictionary becomes tedious, and, unless you wear blinders, resorting to the parallel-text version (Italian and English side-by-side) of a particular work becomes an exercise in futility as you try to avert your eyes from the English translation. With the constant safety net of an English translation just a glance away, its difficult to commit your brain to the exclusive task of absorbing Italian. Fortunately, theres a new way to read recently published Italian fiction and nonfiction almost as effortlessly as reading books in English- the Linguality Italian Book Club. Italian Literature? Ma, Oui!Linguality, based in Cambridge, MA, was founded by a team with extensive experience in foreign-language publishing, university teaching, and pedagogical research. Linguality’s French Book Club debuted in 2007 and quickly earned accolades from readers and language experts alike. Six times a year, contemporary French books are republished with an English introduction, extensive English glossaries, and author interviews in French on audio CD. Given the success of that venture, the company decided to branch out, and launched an Italian Book Club. No Dictionary RequiredThe innovation in Lingualitys Italian Book Club series is the format. The original foreign-language text is placed on every right-hand page, and an extensive English glossary, on the opposite page, allows readers to see the definition of bolded words in context. When the first selection was released, Walter Veltroni, renowned Italian author, journalist, former Italian Minister of Cultural Heritage, and former mayor of Rome, proclaimed that: Its the literary equivalent of a subtitled movie! In fact, the glossary entries act more like turbocharged subtitles, boosting readers comprehension and vocabulary. Typically there are over 2,000 entries per book defining every difficult word and expression, eliminating the need for a dictionary. As Lingualitys publisher, Wes Green, says: ...a non-fluent speaker doesnt need a complete translation...or a dictionary. He or she just opens the book and starts reading in the foreign language. Italian Book Club Membership Has PrivilegesAnother advantage of the Linguality Italian Book Club is that all books are complete, unedited texts- the original version that native Italians read too. Subscribers also receive an audio CD with a 30- to 45-minute conversation in Italian with the author, including a transcript with glossary of the dialogue as an appendix in the book. The publisher recommends that readers have completed the equivalent of two years of college Italian. While each title is amply annotated, beginners may still find it difficult to contend with the texts. With their specially annotated editions of Italian books, the Linguality Italian Book Club offers a unique method for those looking to dramatically improve their Italian language skills. Instead of waiting for the English version of a popular Italian book (few foreign-language titles are ever translated into English anyway), Italian language learners can take off the blinders and read the original without having to resort to the dictionary. Italian Book ListA subscription to Lingualitys Italian Book Club includes six hard-bound books with author interviews on CD. Titles in the series include: Va dove ti porta il cuore (Follow Your Heart) by Susanna Tamaro La scoperta dellalba (The Discovery of the Dawn) by Walter Veltroni Mamma Mia! by Fabrizio Blini Nel momento (In an Instant) by Andrea De Carlo LOrda (The Hoard) by Gian Antonio Stella Il buio e il miele (The Darkness and the Honey) by Giovanni Arpino