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Franklin Ramón Chang-Díaz

France Anne Córdova

Great Lives from History: Latinos

Ramon E. Lopez

by Raymond D. Benge, Jr.

American scientist

Lopez is a prominent research scientist in the field of space weather and studies of Earth’s magnetosphere and solar-terrestrial interactions. He is also well known for his work aimed at advancing science education.

Areas of achievement: Science and technology; education

Early Life

Ramon Edgardo Lopez II (rah-MOHN ehd-GAHR-doh LOH-pehz) was born in 1959, the son of Ramon E. and A. Esther Lopez. Lopez’s parents were originally from Puerto Rico. His father was a doctor in the U.S. Army, and thus the family moved frequently during his early childhood. He attended a number of elementary schools in El Paso, San Antonio, and at Fort Hood, Texas. He often went with his family to visit relatives in Puerto Rico, sometimes for as long as a month. By attending school in Texas, as well as interacting with family members in Puerto Rico, Lopez became fluent in both English and Spanish; his bilingualism would prove to be useful in his scientific career. Lopez’s father encouraged him in his studies and gave him a telescope as a child. However, it was watching the Gemini and Apollo space missions that motivated him to study space physics.

Lopez’s father left the Army when Lopez was in sixth grade and established a medical practice in Freeport, Illinois. Eventually, the family moved to Pearl City, Illinois, where Lopez attended Pearl City High School. At this time, the University of Illinois-Champaign had a program allowing advanced high school students to enter the university without finishing high school. Lopez took advantage of this program and did not graduate from high school. At first, he found college challenging, but he learned to study and excelled, graduating in 1980 with a B.S. degree in physics. Besides physics, Lopez learned to love history, literature, and writing while in college. He went to Rice University for graduate study, receiving an M.S. degree in 1984 and a Ph.D. in 1986, both in space physics.

Life’s Work

After receiving his Ph.D., Lopez took a postdoctoral position with Applied Research Corporation, working at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab. While there, he volunteered to work in Linda Chavez’s campaign for U.S. Senate, an experience that led to his meeting his future wife, Ellen Ann. The couple had two children, Ramon E. Lopez III and Nancy Lopez.

Seeking a position with a greater educational component, Lopez took a job at the University of Maryland at College Park. While there, he also served as the director of education and outreach programs for the American Physical Society. Lopez helped develop inquiry-based educational activities for elementary school science students, and he worked with several public school systems in the area. In 1999, Lopez took a position as department chair in physics at the University of Texas at El Paso. Three years later, Lopez was awarded the Nicholson Medal for Humanitarian Service in recognition of his efforts to improve precollege science education and to encourage underrepresented minorities to study physics. From 2004 to 2007, Lopez was a professor at the Florida Institute of Technology before taking a position as a professor at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Lopez conducted space physics research, studying Earth’s magnetosphere and interactions between the magnetosphere and the solar wind, a field of study called space weather. In particular, he has worked on mathematical models of the magnetosphere in an attempt to predict the effects of both solar storms and disruptions called geomagnetic storms on the magnetosphere. Associated with these studies, Lopez has also researched the dynamics of auroral (natural light) displays in the sky.

In addition to his space physics research, Lopez has remained active in education. His involvement gradually evolved from working with precollege science education to attempting to further physics education among college students. He helped secure a grant to fund scholarships that will enable community college students to major in physics and chemistry at the University of Texas at Arlington. By 2010, Lopez was also working with the National Academy of Sciences to develop recommended standards for college readiness for students entering college who were interested in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).

Significance

Most scientists, even college professors, focus either on research or teaching. Few are like Lopez, who is able to be effective in both education and scientific research. Lopez is a prominent figure in space physics research, but he has also played an extremely important role in science education, particularly in the field of physics. He has actively encouraged minority students interested in pursuing careers in science and engineering fields, particularly students of Latino backgrounds. Lopez’s influence in science education spans the range of instruction, from elementary and high schools to college and postgraduate programs. In 2010, Lopez was recognized for his work when the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) named him a distinguished scientist.

Further Reading

1 

Carlowics, Michael J., and Ramon E. Lopez. Storms from the Sun: The Emerging Science of Space Weather. Washington, DC: Joseph Henry Press, 2002. An excellent explanation of the nature and significance of space weather, Lopez’ area of research.

2 

Lopez, Ramon E. Dr. Ramon E. Lopez. http://www.uta.edu/ra/real/editprofile.php?onlyview=1&pid=1926. Lopez’s profile on the University of Texas at Arlington’s Web site, with information about his professional and educational activities, publications, and seminars.

3 

Lopez, Ramon E., and Ted Schultz. “Two Revolutions in K-8 Science Education.” Physics Today 54, no. 9 (September, 2001): 44-49. A discussion of the importance of professional scientists working with educators in elementary and secondary school science education.

4 

McCray, Richard A., Robert L. DeHaan, and Julie Anne Schuck, eds. Improving Undergraduate Instruction in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press, 2003. A report on undergraduate education strategies and initiatives of the Steering Committee on Criteria and Benchmarks for Increased Learning from Undergraduate STEM Instruction, of which Lopez was an active member.

Citation Types

Type
Format
MLA 9th
Benge, Jr., Raymond D. "Ramon E. Lopez." Great Lives from History: Latinos, edited by Carmen Tafolla & Martha P. Cotera, Salem Press, 2012. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=GLL_10013240035501001.
APA 7th
Benge, Jr., R. D. (2012). Ramon E. Lopez. In C. Tafolla & M. P. Cotera (Eds.), Great Lives from History: Latinos. Salem Press. online.salempress.com.
CMOS 17th
Benge, Jr., Raymond D. "Ramon E. Lopez." Edited by Carmen Tafolla & Martha P. Cotera. Great Lives from History: Latinos. Hackensack: Salem Press, 2012. Accessed December 14, 2025. online.salempress.com.