Firouz Michael Naderi (born in Shiraz, Iran) is an Iranian-American scientist and currently the Director for Solar System Exploration at NASA‘s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). In this role Naderi oversees JPL’s robotic solar system missions in planning (such as a mission to the Jupiter’s moon Europa) or, in development (InSight lander on Mars) and operating missions, including the Cassini orbiter at Saturn, the Dawn spacecraft at the giant asteroid Vesta, JUNO on its way to Jupiter.
He received his M.S. and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from USC
He was named head of the Mars Exploration Program at JPL in 2000 . In the summer of 2000 he helped re-plan the Program as a chain of scientifically, technologically and operationally interrelated missions with a spacecraft launch to Mars every two years. He led the Program for the next five years, a span of time that included the successful landing of the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity.
Awards and honors
- Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
- 2010 recipient of the William Randolph Lovelace II Award from the American Astronautical Society (AAS)[4]
- 2005 recipient of Ellis Island Medal of Honor
- NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal
- Space Technology Hall of Fame Medal and
- NASA’s highest award – the Distinguished Service Medal.
Remarkable people with Iranian roots 