From harvesting crops across California to collecting data in space, astronaut and motivational speaker Jose Hernandez has led a remarkable life. Now a highly popular speaker, Jose Hernandez inspires audiences with his story of resourcefulness, self-purpose, and perseverance. Jose is also a very popular speaker for schools and universities celebrating the Hispanic Heritage month. His motivational story and STEM advocacy is perfect for younger audiences.

Born into a migrant farming family in Stockton, California, Jose Hernandez spoke only Spanish until age 12. He spent those years on a long circuit up the length of California, harvesting crops from March to November. Growing up on the move gave Hernandez a special kind of self-determination. His parents made sure that no matter how many times he changed schools, no matter how dicey the neighborhoods he lived in, Jose stayed focused and driven to learn.

With a tremendous work ethic built in the sweltering California fields, Hernandez excelled in college. His graduate work in electrical engineering helped secure Hernandez a job at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. There, he helped develop an x-ray laser and the world’s first full-field mammography system.

But Hernandez had grown up gazing in wonder at the stars. At age 42, older than most rookie astronauts, Hernandez joined the 19^th class of US astronauts. Five years later, he served as the flight engineer on NASA’s two-week-long STS-128 mission. A Netflix film about his life is scheduled for production in 2021.

Additionally, Hernandez is a member of the Eta Kappa New Electrical Engineering Honor Society. He holds degrees—including an honorary LL.D. degree—from UC-Santa Barbara, which named him a Distinguished Alumnus in 2015.