José Hernandez

José Hernandez is a respected American engineer and former NASA astronaut, currently serving as a Regent of the University of California. An incredibly driven professional, he is admired by audiences around the world for utilising his specialist knowledge, gained during his NASA career, to run for the U.S. House of Representatives. A talented professional throughout a wide range of industries, José is treasured for his remarkable success over recent years. Having been honoured with the University of the Pacific 2019 Medallion of Excellence for outstanding service to the University, he has become a must-see speaker for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. When looking to hire a passionate speaker to attend your future events, do not hesitate in hiring José today.

After earning an M.S. in electrical and computer engineering at the University of California, José began his professional career at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 1990. During his time at the organisation, he developed the first full-field digital mammography imaging system. In 2001, José joined the Johnson Space Centre and applied for astronaut training for three consecutive years. After completing his Astronaut Candidate Training in 2006 after being selected two years prior, José served as an Aquanaut during the NEEMO 12 mission. With experience working within a wide range of missions, José is greatly respected for his work as a mission specialist on the STS-128 mission, allowing him to become the first person to use the Spanish language in space while tweeting.

In 2011, José announced that at the urging of President Barack Obama, he would be running for candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives. Having made his debut campaign appearance in 2012 at a Democratic Candidate Forum, he gained great respect throughout the political community and was recognised as an ‘astronaut/scientist/engineer’ on the June ballot. Finishing in the polls with 46% of the votes, José lost to his fellow competitor Jeff Denham in the General Election for California’s new 10th district, but gained a passionate following after his run for candidacy. Admired for his hard-working mentality, José has become a man of many talents and is treasured for his varying repertoire of specialist knowledge.

An inspirational figure for audiences globally, José Hernandez is now highly sought-after to attend a wide range of speaking engagements. A testament to his illustrious career, José has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the 2016 National Hispanic Hero Award by the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, and the 2019 Medallion of Excellence by the University of the Pacific. When looking to hire a captivating speaker to educate audiences on a wide range of important topics, look no further than José Hernandez.