10/09/2026
Hispanic Heritage Month Spotlight: Dr. Michael Estrella
A Brooklyn Tech graduate. A PhD scientist. A former chemist at Brookhaven National Laboratory. A researcher trained at Johns Hopkins University and Princeton University.
Now, he’s a biology teacher back at his alma mater, mentoring the next generation of scientists through the Alumni Foundation’s Weston Research Scholars Program.
After earning his PhD in Biochemistry and completing postdoctoral training, Dr. Estrella returned to where his scientific path began.
“I was able to become a teacher at my alma mater high school, Brooklyn Technical, and teach a research class along with 12th grade genetics… It’s a wonderful sight to behold the remarkable transformation of kids going from students to leaders and researchers.”
His Genetics classroom is a hub of project-based learning, where students use hands-on molecular biology techniques found in contemporary research labs. Beyond awards and competitions, they discover academic passions, choose college majors with confidence, and chart career paths in science and medicine. They see themselves not just as students, but as researchers.
This Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re proud to celebrate an alumnus who came back to Tech to help today’s students believe in themselves.
