Two Scientists, One Mission: To Make the World a Better Place to Live
By Bruce E. Phillips
Dr. Victor Perez-Luna is part of a team of scientists at the Illinois Institute of Technology that has invented a handheld sensor that can detect toxic agents in the air.
Dr. José Hernandez-Rebollar believes his "talking glove" someday will help the deaf translate sign language to spoken word or text.
The fact that women and minorities are underrepresented in science and engineering is well-known, but that doesn't mean they aren't making their presence felt. Science Spectrum recently interviewed two young scientists who are demonstrating that amazing things can happen when aptitude and talent meet encouragement and opportunity.
The fact that women and minorities are underrepresented in science and engineering is well-known, but that doesn't mean they aren't making their presence felt. Science Spectrum recently interviewed two young scientists who are demonstrating that amazing things can happen when aptitude and talent meet encouragement and opportunity.
Victor Perez-Luna, Ph.D., for example, exemplifies how one man with a goal can make a big difference in science and in society. As assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology, he is one of the team of research scientists who have developed a new sensing device they call the IIT ChemArray, which can detect and measure the presence of toxic agents in our air, water and food.
The ChemArray includes an electronic microchip sensor, about the size of a postage stamp, that can be incorporated easily into a handheld scanner. Its compact size and low cost make it ideal for use by firefighters, police, and other emergency "first responders."
Powerful Tool against Terror, Contagion
Current testing methods are time-consuming and require analysis in a lab, whereas the ChemArray can detect a variety of dangerous agents in the field instantly. This speed and ease of use, in addition to aiding U.S. counterterrorism efforts, will help health organizations across the world detect and combat fast-spreading diseases faster than previously possible.
"There is a big difference between sending a sample to a lab and using instruments to get quick results on site," Dr. Perez-Luna says. "The ChemArray has the potential to detect a variety of agents. My view is that it will impact technology, from biomedical assays to homeland security."
Dr. Perez-Luna grew up in Mexico, outside of Guadalajara, in a family of educators who encouraged his early interest in science. His mother taught elementary school, and his father was a high school biology teacher. They urged him to explore his interests and think about the options that an education would give him. He gained early, hands-on experience during occasional weekend visits to his father's lab.
Making Adjustments to New Cultures
After earning his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in chemical engineering from the Universidad de Guadalajara, he accepted an offer to pursue his doctoral studies at the University of Washington's Department of Chemical Engineering, where he was given the opportunity to work on biomaterials and surface chemistry. He developed an interest in biosensors while doing postdoctoral work at the University of New Mexico, where he found a group of professors and students doing exciting research in the development of biosensors using optical techniques, such as fluorescence and surface plasmon resonance.
Dr. Perez-Luna's many academic accomplishments have not come without effort, however.
"One of the most important things for me was to adapt to a new culture and new research environment," he says, reflecting on his past. "It is important to interact with others to learn to live in a multicultural environment."
When asked to advise others who might be interested in a career in science, he doesn't hesitate to answer: "Don't be deterred by academic or cultural difficulties."
Turning Gestures into Speech and Text
José Hernandez-Rebollar, Ph.D. is another young scientist making a reputation as an innovator on a mission.
As a visiting assistant professor of electrical engineering at George Washington University, Dr. Hernandez-Rebollar has devoted more than three years to helping the deaf communicate more easily with the hearing world. His work has resulted in the invention of an electronic glove, called the AcceleGlove, that can turn American Sign Language gestures into spoken words or text.
Here's how it works: The glove is placed on the hand and strapped to the arm, allowing sensors on the glove to generate signals from the movement, orientation, and positioning of the hand and the fingers in relation to the body. These signals are analyzed by a microcontroller to find the position of the fingers and hand trajectory. The AcceleGlove is still a work in progress, however, and now recognizes only 173 words.
It's estimated that between 500,000 to 2,000,000 persons in the U.S. use ASL, but interest in the device goes beyond the deaf community. When it is perfected, the glove also could be used to teach ASL. Or it could be modified for use in virtual reality or military settings, or for different forms of sign language.
"The idea is not to fix deafness," Dr. Hernandez-Rebollar says. "The idea is to provide an instrument that can translate ASL to other languages."
Dr. Hernandez-Rebollar based his initial work on translating ASL, he explains, because the gestures that make up the language are already clearly defined by a dictionary.
Learning the Importance of Language, Community
Initially the AcceleGlove will be to translate ASL to English and Spanish, because those are the languages he speaks. Dr. Hernandez-Rebollar sees a bright future for the device.
"I think it will one day enable people to sign from North America throughout Latin America without learning a new sign language," he says.
Dr. Hernandez-Rebollar came to the U.S. and George Washington University in 1998 on a Fulbright scholarship, after completing his undergraduate and master's work at University of Puebla, in Mexico. He later worked at the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics, and Electronics (INAOE), where he was involved in building the antenna control systems for what was to become the largest telescope in the world. He received his Ph.D. at GWU in 2003.
The transition from Mexico to America was not an easy one, he says, noting that he now wishes he had learned more English and garnered a greater understanding of other cultures.
He advises students to reach beyond their immediate community and participate in campus organizations that can broaden their horizons. He is former president of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers' Washington, D.C., chapter for example, and says, "I think societies are important to students."
And, he concludes, don't become isolated if the culture seems foreign to you: "Get help.... Surround yourself with good people who can inspire you and advise you."
Dr. Victor Perez-Luna and Dr. José Hernandez-Rebollar are demonstrating that talent and determination, when combined and a healthy dose of curiosity, can have an impact that goes far beyond borders.
Bruce E. Phillips can be reached at BPhillips@ccgmag.com.
