Edwin Muñiz

Captain Edwin Muñiz M.D., Ph.D. and Ed.D., was the first person of Hispanic heritage to be named Aerospace Physiologist in the United States Air Force and NASA.

Early years

In the early 1950s, Muñiz’s parents moved from Puerto Rico to New York City. He was born on June 7, 1955, in Manhattan. There he received his primary and secondary education. In 1968, his family returned back to their homeland and lived in the town of Carolina. Muñiz attended Gabriela Mistral High School, located in Rio Piedras a section of San Juan. During his high school years, he joined the Civil Air Patrol and gained experience in flying solo. In May 1973, he graduated and soon joined the United States Army.

Military service

After he received his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, he was transferred to the Academy of Health Sciences at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas where he was trained as a medic and medical laboratory technician. Muñiz was sent to Germany where he served for two years. He earned his private pilot's license in 1974. In 1977, he was honorably discharged from the Army with the rank of Sergeant. He returned to Puerto Rico and worked for 5 years in the field of clinical hemodialysis. He served in the Puerto Rico National Guard as a member of a field medical hospital unit.

Muñiz made use of the benefits of his GI Bill and continued to further his academic education. In 1978, he earned his BA degree in Natural Sciences/Mathematics/Physics from Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, New Jersey and in 1979 an Master of Arts in Aviation Psychology from Antioch University in San Francisco.Ildelfonso Lopez, "Tras las Huellas de Nuestro Paso", Pg. 25, Publisher: AEELA, 1998, Retrieved May 10, 2007. ]

On May 1982, Muñiz returned to the military service, this time in the United States Air Force. He was commissioned a First Lieutenant because of his education background. He attended the School of Aerospace Medicine in San Antonio, Texas where he received training in Aerospace Medicine, Aerospace Physiology and Hyperbaric Medicine. In 1982, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology/Chemistry from the University of the State of New York. Muñiz, flew the back seat of an F-16 A-1 conducting cardiovascular research on the fighter pilots. On August 1984, Muñiz was promoted to Captain. That same year he provided physiological training to the first Latin American Astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz from Costa Rica. He then became an official trainer in NASA in capacity of Aerospace Physiologist. As an Aerospace Physiologist for NASA, his responsibilities included training pilots and astronaut candidates on the hazards of air and space flight. His activities under this capacity included doing research in the cardiovascular field studying the effects of gravity and Speed & Acceleration on the pilots cardiovascular system. In 1986, he separated from active duty, but continued to serve in the United States Air Force Reserve as Chief of Aerospace Physiology to Latin America. He was also a Space Counselor for High School students at the NASA Training Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Aerospace Physiologist

The Air Force offered Muñiz the opportunity to continue his academic education and in 1986 he earned a Ph.D. in Bioastronautics and Astrobiology from the International Institute for Advanced Studies, (On Base Research Program, McDill AFB, Florida) Japan. On August 20,1986, Muñiz was named Augmentee in capacity of Chief Aerospace Physiology Latin American Program. He was also certified as an Aircraft Accident Investigator and Human Factors Specialist by the School of Systems Management at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles thus becoming the first Hispanic Aerospace Physiologist in the United States Air Force. In 1989, he earned his second Ph.D. degree, this time in Aerospace Physiology, from Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia. Muñiz was honorably discharged from the Air Force on June 6, 1991.Ildelfonso Lopez, "Tras las Huellas de Nuestro Paso", Pg. 25, Publisher: AEELA, 1998, Retrieved May 10, 2007. ]

As a civilian , Muñiz taught Biology, Genetics, Human Reproduction, Anatomy and Physiology as faculty at the University of South Florida and Hillsborough Community College, both located in Tampa, Florida. He also trained civilian pilots on the hazards of air and space flight at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, at Daytona Beach. After ten years of teaching, he decided to go to medical school and in 2002, he earned his MD degree in Aerospace Medicine, from the St. Luke's University School of Medicine. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20020604045614/http://stluke.edu/graduates.html St. Luke’s Graduates] ] He subsequently completed a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Pharmaceutical Medicine at St. Luke's University School of Medicine.

Honors and legacy

Dr. Muñiz works as a Pharmaceutical Consultant, Medical Science Liaison doing research and conducting medical trials for pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Muñiz currently lives in Tampa, Florida with his wife Maria. He has 3 children, Edwin, Edmarie and Alexander. He was named among the top 100 Distinguished Puerto Ricans in the booklet “Resenas De Puertorriquenos Destacado Internacionalmente” ( International Accomplishments of Distinguished Puerto Ricans) by the Executive Director Ildelfonso Lopez of the Association of Employees of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

In 2008, Dr. Muñiz was named as one of the top five achievers within the field of medicine in the book "Boricuazo, Tu Orgullo Nacional" (Renowned Puerto Ricans, Your National Pride) by Jesus Omar Rivera [Boricuazo, Tu rgullo Nacional; By: Jesus mar Rivera; Section: Medicinas; Published 2008 by Horizonte Impresores; ISBN;978-1-60530-501-1]

Military decorations

Among Muñiz’s military decorations are the following:

*
*
*
*
*
*

Badges:

* Expert Field Medical Badge
* Army Grenade Expert Badge
* Army Sharpshooter
* AF Small Arms Expert
* Expert Badge Air Force Training
*
* Aerospace Physiologist Badge

Professional memberships

* Aerospace Medical Association
* Space Medicine Science Branch
* American Medical Association
* American Academy of Family Medicine
* American Academy of Pharmaceutical Physicians and Investigators
* Association of clinical Research Investigators
* Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine, Royal Academy of Medicine

See also

* List of famous Puerto Ricans
*Puerto Rican scientists and inventors

References