Coming Soon: Profiles of Iranian Americans - NASA's Firouz Naderi

Profiles of Iranian Americans is one of PAAIA’s principle projects aimed at countering negative stereotypes that plague our community with positive life stories of Iranian Americans who are remarkable for their professional achievements, their humanitarian work, their contributions to American society or their compelling life stories. 

By highlighting these individual, often extraordinary achievements, PAAIA aspires to not only project an accurate and positive image of our community, but also inspire our children to take pride in their heritage and their Iranian American identity.  The first of the video series of Profiles of Iranian Americans will be released by PAAIA and featured on its website by the end of August.

It is fitting that the first profile is dedicated to Firouz Naderi, the Associate Director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory responsible for Project Formulation and Strategy, who embodies an Iranian American remarkable in all four categories.  Naderi was selected by NASA to lead the Mars Exploration Program through three successful spacecraft launchers, including the historic landings of the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity.  Born in Shiraz, Iran, Naderi came to the US as a teenager to continue his higher education, ultimately receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California.

Other Iranian Americans to be featured soon include Rhodes Scholar and Harvard Professor Dr. Pardis Sabeti, Google Vice President Omid Kordestani, comedian/actor Maz Jobrani, and former swimming world record holder, Leila Vaziri.