Enectalí Figueroa-Feliciano
Encyclopedia
Dr. Enectalí Figueroa-Feliciano a.k.a. "Tali", Ph.D., (born 1971) is an astrophysicist and researcher with NASA
Goddard Space Flight Center
who pioneered the development position-sensitive detectors. He is an expert and researcher on dark matter
.
, which is located on the western coast of the island. After he graduated from high school, he attended the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus and, in 1995, earned a Bachelor of Science
degree in mechanical engineering
.
, earning a master's degree (1997) and doctorate (2001) in physics
. While studying at Stanford, Figueroa-Feliciano did his dissertation research at NASA
Goddard Space Flight Center
in Maryland
, as part of the Science Cooperative Education program. Upon his graduation from Stanford, Figueroa-Feliciano became an astrophysicist for the Goddard Space Flight Center, where he served as the microcalorimeter leader for the Generation-X Vision Mission; and as a member of the following teams: Constellation-X facility science team, Suzaku Observatory science working group, and the X-ray
Quantum Calorimeter
(XQC) sounding rocket team.
Figueroa-Feliciano pioneered the development of position-sensitive detectors that will provide an order of magnitude more pixel
s (and thus larger field of view) than traditional single-pixel X-ray microcalorimeters. He has received several NASA awards for the development and demonstration of position
-sensitive x-ray microcalorimeters.
He served as President of the Sixth Executive Council of the NASA Academy Alumni Association from August 1, 2003 to December 31, 2004. On September 2003, Figueroa-Feliciano was interviewed for the position of Astronaut candidate.
program "Dark Matter" on PBS
. In 2010, he received National Science Foundation Career Award.
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Goddard Space Flight Center
Goddard Space Flight Center
The Goddard Space Flight Center is a major NASA space research laboratory established on May 1, 1959 as NASA's first space flight center. GSFC employs approximately 10,000 civil servants and contractors, and is located approximately northeast of Washington, D.C. in Greenbelt, Maryland, USA. GSFC,...
who pioneered the development position-sensitive detectors. He is an expert and researcher on dark matter
Dark matter
In astronomy and cosmology, dark matter is matter that neither emits nor scatters light or other electromagnetic radiation, and so cannot be directly detected via optical or radio astronomy...
.
Early years
Figueroa-Feliciano was born in 1971 in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto RicoMayagüez, Puerto Rico
Mayagüez is the eighth-largest municipality of Puerto Rico. Originally founded as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" it is also known as "La Sultana del Oeste" , "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" , or "Ciudad del Mangó"...
, which is located on the western coast of the island. After he graduated from high school, he attended the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus and, in 1995, earned a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
.
NASA
Figueroa-Feliciano continued his academic studies at Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, earning a master's degree (1997) and doctorate (2001) in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
. While studying at Stanford, Figueroa-Feliciano did his dissertation research at NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Goddard Space Flight Center
Goddard Space Flight Center
The Goddard Space Flight Center is a major NASA space research laboratory established on May 1, 1959 as NASA's first space flight center. GSFC employs approximately 10,000 civil servants and contractors, and is located approximately northeast of Washington, D.C. in Greenbelt, Maryland, USA. GSFC,...
in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, as part of the Science Cooperative Education program. Upon his graduation from Stanford, Figueroa-Feliciano became an astrophysicist for the Goddard Space Flight Center, where he served as the microcalorimeter leader for the Generation-X Vision Mission; and as a member of the following teams: Constellation-X facility science team, Suzaku Observatory science working group, and the X-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
Quantum Calorimeter
Calorimeter
A calorimeter is a device used for calorimetry, the science of measuring the heat of chemical reactions or physical changes as well as heat capacity. Differential scanning calorimeters, isothermal microcalorimeters, titration calorimeters and accelerated rate calorimeters are among the most common...
(XQC) sounding rocket team.
Figueroa-Feliciano pioneered the development of position-sensitive detectors that will provide an order of magnitude more pixel
Pixel
In digital imaging, a pixel, or pel, is a single point in a raster image, or the smallest addressable screen element in a display device; it is the smallest unit of picture that can be represented or controlled....
s (and thus larger field of view) than traditional single-pixel X-ray microcalorimeters. He has received several NASA awards for the development and demonstration of position
Position
Position may refer to:* Position , a player role within a team* Position , the orientation of a baby prior to birth* Position , a mathematical identification of relative location...
-sensitive x-ray microcalorimeters.
He served as President of the Sixth Executive Council of the NASA Academy Alumni Association from August 1, 2003 to December 31, 2004. On September 2003, Figueroa-Feliciano was interviewed for the position of Astronaut candidate.
Currently
Figueroa-Feliciano is an Assistant Professor of Physics at MIT. He teaches relativity classes '(8.033)' to undergraduates there. His work on dark matter research were featured in the 2008 NOVA scienceNOWNOVA scienceNOW
NOVA scienceNOW is a newsmagazine version of the long running and venerable PBS science program Nova. Premiering on January 25, 2005, the series was originally hosted by Robert Krulwich, who described it as an experiment in coverage of "breaking science, science that's right out of the lab, science...
program "Dark Matter" on PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
. In 2010, he received National Science Foundation Career Award.
Selected publications by Figueroa-Feliciano
Figueroa-Feliciano has contributed to the following publications as author or co-author:- Position-sensitive low-temperature detectors; E. Figueroa-Feliciano. Invited review in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research pp. 496–501, 2004.
- Cryogenic Microcalorimeters, M. Galeazzi and E. Figueroa-Feliciano. Contributed chapter in .X-ray Spectrometry: Recent Technological Advances; John Wiley & Sons, 2004.
- Position-sensitive transition edge sensor modeling and results; C. Hammock, E. Figueroa-Feliciano, E. Apodaca, S. Bandler, K. Boyce, J. Chervenak, F. Finkbeiner, R. Kelley, M. Lindeman, S. Porter, T. Saab, and C. Stahle. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research; pp. 505–507, 2004.
See also
- List of notable Puerto Ricans
- Puerto Rican scientists and inventors
- University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez people