Olga D. González-Sanabria
Encyclopedia
Olga D. González-Sanabria is a Puerto Rican
scientist
and inventor. She is the highest ranking Hispanic
at NASA
Glenn Research Center
, and a member of the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame
. González-Sanabria, Director of the Engineering and Technical Services, is responsible for planning and directing a full range of integrated services including engineering, fabrication, testing, facility management and aircraft services for the Glenn Research Center. She played an instrumental role in the development of the "Long Cycle-Life Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries
" which helps enable the International Space Station
power system.
, where she received both her primary and secondary education. She entered the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez
after graduating from high school, and earned her bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering
. She continued her academic education in the University of Toledo
in Ohio
where she earned her master's degree in the same discipline.
González-Sanabria played an instrumental role in the power systems area with the development of the "Long Cycle-Life Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries". Her technical contributions helped to enable the International Space Station power system. She was awarded an R&D 100 Award in recognition of this effort.
Her responsibilities include the development of Center level strategic processes, implementation planning, and decision guidelines for program direction and resource allocation. She also ensures development and implementation of Center policies, processes and procedures that are consistent with NASA's Program and Project Management Processes and Requirements and oversees the implementation of Glenn's Business Management System. She is also responsible for Plum Brook Station, a 6400 acres (25.9 km²) field station that houses four world-class research facilities. The Directorate is the largest at Glenn with a workforce of approximately 650 engineers, technician
s, pilot
s, and support personnel.
González-Sanabria, who was featured together with her husband, Rafael Sanabria, as "NASA Glenn's Dynamic Duo" in HENAAC's Technical magazine's (Winter 2004 edition) cover story, also holds a patent and has authored/co-authored over 30 technical reports and presentations for journals and conferences. Among the technical reports which she has authored and or co-authored are:
, Maya Lin
, Doris Day
, and Elizabeth Blackwell.
Among the many awards which NASA has bestowed upon her are the following: The NASA Medal for Outstanding Leadership (2002), and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1993). She also received the Women of Color in Technology Career Achievement Award (2000), and an R&D 100 Award (1988).
In 2007, HENAAC (Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference) announced HENAAC Award Winners in Engineering & Science. According to HENNAC the winners in each category represent the nation’s best and brightest engineers and scientists. They were selected by the HENAAC Selection Committee, an independent group of representatives from industry, government, military and academia. González-Sanabria was recognized under the category "Executive Excellence".
with her husband, Rafael, and their two daughters. During her spare time she has mentored numerous students with special attention to underrepresented groups and provided them with opportunities that allow them to gain meaningful experiences. She is also an active mentor to professionals at mid-career levels and actively supports their development and advancement.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
and inventor. She is the highest ranking Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
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...
Glenn Research Center
Glenn Research Center
NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field is a NASA center, located within the cities of Brook Park, Cleveland and Fairview Park, Ohio between Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and the Cleveland Metroparks's Rocky River Reservation, and has other subsidiary facilities in Ohio...
, and a member of the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame
Ohio Women's Hall of Fame
The Ohio Women's Hall of Fame was founded in 1978 and has 356 members. It provides public recognition for the achievements of Ohio women that better their state, their country and their world.-See also:*National Women's Hall of Fame...
. González-Sanabria, Director of the Engineering and Technical Services, is responsible for planning and directing a full range of integrated services including engineering, fabrication, testing, facility management and aircraft services for the Glenn Research Center. She played an instrumental role in the development of the "Long Cycle-Life Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
" which helps enable the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
power system.
Early years
González-Sanabria was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, where she received both her primary and secondary education. She entered the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez or Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez in Spanish , is a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant state university located in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico...
after graduating from high school, and earned her bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
. She continued her academic education in the University of Toledo
University of Toledo
The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...
in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
where she earned her master's degree in the same discipline.
NASA career
In 1979, González-Sanabria began her NASA career as chief of its Glenn Research Center's Plans and Programs Office and executive officer to the Center's Director. During her career González-Sanabria also served as Director of the Systems Management Office during which she oversaw the implementation of Glenn's Business Management System (ISO 9000 certification).González-Sanabria played an instrumental role in the power systems area with the development of the "Long Cycle-Life Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries". Her technical contributions helped to enable the International Space Station power system. She was awarded an R&D 100 Award in recognition of this effort.
Highest ranking Hispanic at NASA Glenn
In 2002, González-Sanabria was appointed to Senior Rank and named director of the Systems Management Office at NASA's Glenn Research Center, thus becoming the highest ranking Hispanic at NASA Glenn. She was also named a member of the U.S. government's Senior Executive Service. The appointment was announced by Glenn Center Director Donald J. Campbell.Her responsibilities include the development of Center level strategic processes, implementation planning, and decision guidelines for program direction and resource allocation. She also ensures development and implementation of Center policies, processes and procedures that are consistent with NASA's Program and Project Management Processes and Requirements and oversees the implementation of Glenn's Business Management System. She is also responsible for Plum Brook Station, a 6400 acres (25.9 km²) field station that houses four world-class research facilities. The Directorate is the largest at Glenn with a workforce of approximately 650 engineers, technician
Technician
A technician is a worker in a field of technology who is proficient in the relevant skills and techniques, with a relatively practical understanding of the theoretical principles. Experienced technicians in a specific tool domain typically have intermediate understanding of theory and expert...
s, pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
s, and support personnel.
González-Sanabria, who was featured together with her husband, Rafael Sanabria, as "NASA Glenn's Dynamic Duo" in HENAAC's Technical magazine's (Winter 2004 edition) cover story, also holds a patent and has authored/co-authored over 30 technical reports and presentations for journals and conferences. Among the technical reports which she has authored and or co-authored are:
- Effect of NASA advanced designs on thermal behavior of Ni-H2 cells (1987)
- Component variations and their effects on bipolar nickel-hydrogen cell performance (1987)
- NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Systems Program - Issues and actions (1988)
- Effect of NASA advanced designs on thermal behavior of Ni-H2 cells 2 (1988)
- Energy storage considerations for a robotic Mars surface sampler (1989)
Awards and recognitions
On October 7, 2003, González-Sanabria was inducted into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame under the category "scientist, inventor and executive". She joined other notable inductees such as Gloria SteinemGloria Steinem
Gloria Marie Steinem is an American feminist, journalist, and social and political activist who became nationally recognized as a leader of, and media spokeswoman for, the women's liberation movement in the late 1960s and 1970s...
, Maya Lin
Maya Lin
Maya Ying Lin is an American artist who is known for her work in sculpture and landscape art. She is the designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.-Personal life:...
, Doris Day
Doris Day
Doris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,...
, and Elizabeth Blackwell.
Among the many awards which NASA has bestowed upon her are the following: The NASA Medal for Outstanding Leadership (2002), and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1993). She also received the Women of Color in Technology Career Achievement Award (2000), and an R&D 100 Award (1988).
In 2007, HENAAC (Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference) announced HENAAC Award Winners in Engineering & Science. According to HENNAC the winners in each category represent the nation’s best and brightest engineers and scientists. They were selected by the HENAAC Selection Committee, an independent group of representatives from industry, government, military and academia. González-Sanabria was recognized under the category "Executive Excellence".
Personal life
González-Sanabria lives in Strongsville, OhioStrongsville, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 43,858 people, 16,209 households, and 12,383 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,779.6 people per square mile . There were 16,863 housing units at an average density of 684.2 per square mile...
with her husband, Rafael, and their two daughters. During her spare time she has mentored numerous students with special attention to underrepresented groups and provided them with opportunities that allow them to gain meaningful experiences. She is also an active mentor to professionals at mid-career levels and actively supports their development and advancement.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- Puerto Rican scientists and inventors
- List of Puerto Ricans in the United States Space Program
- University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez people