Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s “Mohawk Guy” rose to fame with his colorful, star-studded shaved head during the Mars Curiosity rover landing in August and the engineer will get more time in the spotlight during Tuesday’s Presidential State of the Union address.
“President Barack Obama is expected to refer to the Iranian-American [Bobak] Ferdowsi during the address, while discussing immigration policies in science-related fields,” according to the Daily Bulletin, which noted that Ferdowsi will sit in First Lady Michelle Obama's box during the address.
Obama congratulated Ferdowsi and the room of scientists and engineers that helped accomplish the .
Watch the video with audio of the president speaking to the team here.
"What you did on Mars was incredibly impressive," Obama said, noting the 76 pyrotechnics and 500,000 lines of code that were involved in the landing sequence.
Watch a video about the landing here.
Joking that scientists and engineers have come a long way since flat tops and pocket protectors, Obama said, "You guys are a little cooler than you used to be,'' referencing Ferdowsi, whose popularity exploded on the Internet, inspiring memes and a surge in his Twitter following.
What do you think of Ferdowsi sitting with First Lady Michelle Obama at the State of the Union address Tuesday night? Do you plan to watch the address?
