Miss Next Century 2019 | Alicia Gonzaléz Martínez

Alicia Gonzaléz Martínez is a Spanish neurologist, dancer (classical and flamenco), and performer. She received her medical degree from the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Spain and has held research and residency positions in the US and in Spain. Gonzaléz Martínez started dancing at age 3. In 2010, Gonzaléz Martínez and several friends started a performing group called Ojos Venecia. Gonzaléz Martínez sees many similarities in science and dancing, including creativity, resilience, ongoing training, the need for communication, and a long list of failures and successes.

Gonzaléz Martínez was named Future-ish's 9th Miss Next Century in 2019.

Additional Reading

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• Bergman, O. 2015. Alicia Gonzaléz Martínez–med student, scientist, dancer and performer. Crasina.se
• Galisteo, A. 2019. La médico ciudarrealeña Alicia González, premiada por la Academia Americana de Neurología.

Sceleb | Don Vaughn

Don Vaughn is an American neuroscientist, model, and musician. Vaughn earned degrees in physics and economics from Stanford in 2008 and currently works at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston in the David Eagleman Laboratory for Perception and Action.

Vaughn began drumming as a teenager and joined Houston alt-rock band, Via Linda, after college. When the band broke up he chose to focus on DJ-drummer formats. Vaughn's science and music worlds collided when he applied his background in perceptual neuroscience to craft his own, custom, LED-lit electronic drum set. Vaughn is also a fashion, commercial print, editorial, fitness, and runway model represented by Page Parkes Corporation. Last but not least, he's a surfer, which seems to be a common pastime of many of our favorite scelebs.

Smart Stars | Mayim Bialik

Mayim Bialik is an American actress best known for her lead role as Blossom Russo in the 1990s sitcom Blossom and more recently for her role in CBS's The Big Bang Theory as Amy Farrah Fowler. Here at Future-ish, we are big, Big, BIG fans of Bialik because she is a perfect example of someone who is passionate about science, design, and culture.

Bialik was born in San Diego, CA to Barbara and John Bialik, a nursery school director and high school drama teacher respectively. Bialik was raised in Reform Judaism. Her given name means 'water' in Hebrew. Bialik's grandparents emigrated to the USA in the 1930s from Poland and what was at the time, Czechoslovakia/Hungary.

After Blossom, Bialik was accepted to Harvard, Yale, and UCLA. She chose UCLA to stay close to her parents and in 2000 earned undergraduate degrees in in neuroscience, Hebrew, and Jewish studies. She completed her PhD in neuroscience in 2008. Bialik is a vegan and a celebrity spokesperson for the Holistic Moms Network. She continues to study Judaism and is well known for keeping fans up to date on preparations for Jewish events and holidays via social media. Oh...and she's a huge fan of the Maccabeats.

Given Mayim's fabulous showing at the 2011 Emmy's, she's now officially on our Glamour Geek list too. Check her out on the E! 360 Glam Cam below (click image to get the full E! Glam Cam experience)...

In 2012, Future-ish named Bialik as our second Queen of the Smart Set.

An evening with Melanie Cheung

9/19/09. This evening I had the great honor of attending a lecture by Maori neuroscientist Melanie Cheung on her research into Huntington's disease, her efforts to apply Tikanga Maori (Maori ways of thinking, being, doing) to her work with human brain tissue in a culturally safe and sensitive way, and her experience in both Indigenous and Western science. Cheung's lecture was part of the Indigenous Wellness Research Institutes annual celebration and having just finished Gregory Cajete's book, Native Science, and then finding a fantastic article by Cheung on Indigenous science, I was very much looking forward to hearing Cheung in person.

The results...she was FABULOUS!. Her research is fascinating and her journey to apply Tikanga Maori to her work is nothing less than inspiring as it invites a deep respect and sensitivity for people, protocol, and life back into science, something that has been lacking in Western science...well for centuries. As opposed to the Western worldview in which science and spirituality don't get along so well, in Indigenous Science science and spirituality are often one and the same. In fact, Cheung considers her ability to bridge the two worldviews as a benefit as it allows for more open-mindedness and more diverse perspectives in both asking and answering research questions. Add to all this a great sense of humor and fantastic storytelling skills and you've got one really fun, really inspiring evening.