Cesar Rodriquez received his chemistry degrees from MIT and Brandeis University. He conducted research at Brandeis on morphine synthesis, working on anti-cancer novel chemicals at Princeton University, new inorganic consumer and farm compounds for former employers, FMC, American Cyanamid, Shulton, AT&T, and Rohm & Haas. He received patents for his discoveries and contributed to research on others. He was a fellow post-doctoral scientist at the University of Minnesota, where he also taught biology and chemistry. He left full-time scientific research to teach in New Jersey public schools and colleges, where he encouraged inner-city students to seek careers in math and science. He was an avid traveler who immersed himself in Chinese and Spanish cultures and became fluent in Spanish and studied Mandarin.