Diego Miranda: A Latino Leader in the Sciences

<figure id="attachment_38143" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-38143" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="http://laprensa-sandiego.org/featured/diego-miranda-joven-lider-latino-…; rel="attachment wp-att-38143"><img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-38143" src="http://laprensa-sandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/DSC_07051-300x2…; alt="Diego Miranda" width="300" height="267" srcset="https://dev-laprensa.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/DSC_070… 300w, https://dev-laprensa.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/DSC_070… 1024w, https://dev-laprensa.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/DSC_070… 757w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-38143" class="wp-caption-text">Diego Miranda</figcaption></figure>

From a very young age, Diego Miranda, an outstanding student at UCSD, has felt close to the goals that the pursuit of science has. 
“I have liked the sciences since I was little and since then, my parents taught me that you always have to study,” says Diego, who majors in aerospace engineering at UCSD’s Warren College. 
Diego was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and came to the United States when he was six years old with his parents, his older brother, and his younger sister. Diego began his elementary schooling north of the border at John Otis Elementary School in National City. 
Dolores Gutierrez, Diego’s mother, says that the family’s adaptation to the United States was not easy, but based on a collective effort, the family was able to get ahead. 
“The first year was very difficult, but we became accustomed,” Gutierrez shares. “The children studied and we, the parents, worked; we always made a great effort. Adapting has not been that difficult because we all do our very best.” 
Shortly after arriving in the region, the family briefly moved to Van Nuys, in the Los Angeles area, where they lived for six months. The family did not like it Van Nuys very much and returned south to San Diego County, this time in Chula Vista. 
During his teenage years, Diego attended Bonita Vista High School, where he graduated with honors, obtaining an International Baccalaureate diploma, and a 4.4 GPA. 
Diego has also been recognized as a  recipient of the IME Becas scholarship program, sponsored by Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Each year, the IME Becas program awards 10 million pesos for community or educational organizations that promote academic achievement of Mexicans outside their country of origin. The funds Diego received have helped him conduct his own scientific research. 
Under Dr. Olivia Greaves´ supervision, and alongside a PhD student also born in Mexico, Diego studies and investigates applications for lanthanum hexaboride, a material highly resistant to heat, which has a wide range of industrial and aerospace applications. 
“It’s a material that has a melting point of over 2,000 degrees and can be applied to rockets or spacecraft,” Diego explained. “Our research of this material analyzes how we can make electron microscopes cheaper to produce.” 
“Currently, there is a component for these microscopes that costs more than $10,000 and through the research in which I am involved in, we can reduce the price of that part for more than half of the current price”, said Diego. 
Although there is a notorious absence of Latinos in STEM fields, Diego does not feel out of place studying these topics. 
“I feel good. There aren’t many Latinos at UCSD, especially in the sciences. Even though there are only a few, I feel at home”, Diego shared. “Just because there are no Latinos around me does not mean that I do not deserve to be here, nor that I cannot succeed.” 
As a Latino, Diego feels a strong support not only from his family, but also from the members of the his department. 
“I have a lot of support at school. Dr. Olivia Graeve has given me many opportunities, she has given me a position in her laboratory, and she has helped me to get the IME Becas scholarship”, Diego pointed out. “[Dr. Greave] was born in Tijuana and studied at Southwestern College; she is a Latina and also a world renowned scientist. It is inspiring to see someone like her. Dr. Greave finishes every conversation with a ‘si se puede’.” 
Diego is also a member of Phi Iota Alpha, the oldest Latino college fraternity in the United States, where he has drawn role models from Latin America’s rich history. 
“We have five role models in the fraternity, they are Jose de San Martin, Jose Marti, Benito Juarez, Simon Bolivar, and Bernardo O’Higgins; they are the fraternity’s pillars,” says Diego. 
“[These leaders] show us that being Latino does not have to keep us down. Being Latino makes us strong and proud. To me, being Latino is inspiring and I feel that if I were not Latino maybe I wouldn’t have done my best; I feel that’s an outlook all Latinos should have,” Diego continued. 
Although his academic life keeps him extremely busy, Diego likes to spend time with his family whenever possible. 
“Me and my dad really like sports. I have liked soccer since I was little and when I’m not studying I play soccer, go to the gym, or play the clarinet,” said Diego. “I also enjoy going to the movies or eating out with my siblings. During the school year, we do not really have time to spend together, but when we are on break, we spend time together. ” 
Diego Miranda takes pride in not just being Latino, but also in being Mexican. 
“Sometimes at school people ask where you are from; when they ask me, I always proudly reply that I am from Guadalajara,” Diego declared. 
“I have colleagues who were born here, and have had all the opportunities and advantages, yet, we are in the same place. If we have a goal, we can reach it if we want to achieve it and by having someone who can help you by your side,” Diego proclaims. 
“There is no reason why we cannot be successful.”