Dr. Juan Hinestroza, PhD
Associate Professor of Fiber Science, Cornell University, Department of Fiber Science and Apparel Design
Dr. Juan Hinestroza is an Associate Professor of Fiber Science at Cornell University. He grew up in Colombia, and his interest in science began with a childhood fascination with household trash. When he was young, Hinestroza looked forward to taking out the trash at home so he could peek into the garbage truck. Based on what his neighbors threw out, he could determine which consumer porducts they were using.
That curiosity and spirit of exploration has served him well as a scientist in an emerging field like nanomaterials.
Hinestroza earned a Bachelors of Science in Chemical Engineering from Universidad Industrial de Santander in Colombia. Then, after working as a process control engineer for the Dow Chemical Company, he returned to school to pursue a doctoral degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Tulane University.
The Power of Fibers
He was inspired to begin research in his current field after attending a lecture in 2002 about economic cycles. The speaker explained how the American economy has gone through various up and down cycles which are related to dominant industries and technology.
The first was the textile industry cycle in the mid-1800s, followed by railroads, automobiles, and computers. At the dawn of the new millennium, the speaker believed nanotechnology might bring about the next big cycle. With his background in biomolecular engineering and nanomaterials, Hinestroza realized he could begin re-engineering old, well-established products of the textile industry using the newly emerging field of nanotechnology.
Scientific Frontiers
Since beginning his current research and teaching position at Cornell in 2006, Hinestroza sees himself now as a “nano-textiles” scientist. Perhaps to us today this title sounds interesting and intriguing. When he first started his research, however, many of his scientific colleagues did not believe it had value. In spite of his colleagues' skepticism, he forged ahead with his research and refused to be discouraged from his own belief that nanomaterials had real potential.
In fact, Hinestroza believes that “the beauty of science [is] that you can challenge the existing... knowledge and create a new paradigm." And he thinks that perhaps in 20 years some of his students may, in turn, challenge his research.
Today and Tomorrow
Today, Hinestroza and his lab members at Cornell are engaged in exciting, cutting-edge research. This research uses nanotechnology to modify properties and applications of natural fibers, create new synthetic fibers, and invent new techniques for measuring fiber qualities on the nano-scale.
He and his research group are also working on creating “interactive camouflage.” This fabric will be able to change color, or the color we perceive it is, according to its wearer’s environment. It could be used to improve camouflage for the military, disguise wildlife biologists so they can inconspicuously observe animals, and can even be used to make curtains that change color according to the time of day.
Outside of the Lab
While he is passionate about his research and teaching, Hinestroza also balances his work with outdoor pursuits. He especially loves bicycling and enjoys running with his students in 5K races. When he’s out on his bike, he can relax and let go of his concerns because, “it’s just Juan, his bike, and the pavement.”
Words of wisdom for aspiring scientists
Hinestroza encourages aspiring scientists to believe in themselves and their ideas because “with everything you do, that you think has value, there will be people that complain. But, at the same time, it’s these objections or complaints that [can] motivate you.”
He sees traditional scientific fields, such as chemistry and biology, as being very rigid and separated from one another. Nanomaterials, on the other hand, is an exciting and interesting field to pursue because it combines ideas from all the different sciences. As he asserts, “[with nanomaterials you] create your own field!”