The Mayans were brilliant mathematicians. They were one of the first to design a numbering system that included the value of zero, which is similar to what we use today. They were also the first to create a calendar. It was Mayan astronomers who concluded that a solar year was approximately 365 days, which is where the annual calendar system we use today was derived from.

Mayans and Aztecs

The Mayans and the Aztecs were superior craftsmen who used their engineering skills to create grand structures and pyra- mids. These pyramids required precise and sophisticated plan- ning and served multiple functions. Most people are familiar with the sacrifices that were performed, but something they may not know is that because these pyramids could be seen above the tree line they also served as landmarks.

Like the Mayans, the Aztecs were technologically advanced when it came to their agricultural system. They were able to sustain anywhere between 300,000 – 700,000 people on the crops they produced. To be able to provide food for that many people during those times was remarkable, but what’s even more amazing is that Tenochtitlan, which is known today as Mexico City, was surrounded by swamplands.

As we all know, swamplands aren’t the most inhabitable places. So the Aztecs built “chinampas”, which are man-made islands. They did this by digging canals in the swamp area and then piling the mud into islands and reinforcing them with stakes and vines. They then used these chinampas to not only grow food, but to increase the size of the island. The canals they dug out were then used for transportation and their rich trading system.

Puerto Rico and the American Southwest

But innovation and exploration didn’t end with the Aztecs and Mayans. Jesse Walter Fewkes, an early scientist who guided a number of archeological explorations for the Smithsonian’s Bu- reau of American Ethnology, unveiled information about the lifestyles of the indig- enous people of Puerto Rico through his excavations. Fewkes was not only one of the most active figures to examine the ruins of various cultures in the American Southwest, he effectively persuaded the government to preserve these sites.

Pioneers in Radar and Atmospheric Chemistry

Moving forward to World War II, Luis Alavarez played a huge part in the victory of the Allies. He developed a ra-

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dar system that helped planes land when vis- ibility was too poor for pilots to see. He also developed the detonators for setting off the plutonium bomb. If it wasn’t for him World War II may have had a complete- ly different outcome. He was awarded the No- bel Prize in Physics in 1968. And thanks to people like him

we have a strong national security system, a major concern to many people today.

The environment is another key issue. Here, Dr. Mario Molina, a native of Mexico, is helping to create a cleaner earth for us all. His discoveries led to an international treaty, which bans the production of industrial chemicals that harm the ozone layer. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1995 (the first in this area) for his work in atmospheric chemistry and the effect of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) on the depletion of the ozone layer. He continues to be one of the world’s leading experts on chemical pollution and how it effects our environment.

Stem Cells, Math and Engineering

Another hot topic is stem cell research. In this and related studies, Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado is leading the pack. Sánchez Alvarado’s lab has launched one of the first efforts to deconstruct the molecular and cellular components underpin- ning regeneration. Almost single-handedly, he has created a powerful new model system to study the molecular mechan- ics of regeneration, using the freshwater flatworm Schmidtea mediterranea. Sánchez Alvarado’s lab has developed the mo- lecular tools needed to reveal how regeneration works in this flatworm. Flatworms are remarkable regenerators. A fragment 1/279th the size of the original animal can regenerate a com- plete organism. In medical science, Dr. Antonia Novello is not only the first Hispanic to become a U.S. Surgeon General, but she is also the first woman. Another first is Dr. Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic female astronaut. She has extensive hours in space—totaling almost 1,000, and has been on four space flights. Her dream is to one day build a Space Station, which she believes is “critical… to human exploration in space”.

In the field of mathematics, Jamie Escalante was a trail blazer. He began teaching math to failing high school students in a gang ridden area of L.A. To this day teachers still seek out his outstanding teaching methods. When it comes to engineer- ing, Adalio T. Sanchez is making great strides. His ingenuity saved IBM Corporation an overwhelming $135 million and earned him a place on IBM’s Senior Leadership Team, a group of IBM’s top 300 executives around the world. The diverse group of Hispanics in the 2010 Most Important list define success in business, government, science and education. Meet the men and women who are helping to lead America into the 21st century.

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