Mark Rober
Mechanical engineer who spent nine years at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, including work on the Curiosity rover. Runs a YouTube channel with 50 million subscribers featuring engineering projects. Founded the educational company CrunchLabs.
Biography
Mark Rober is a mechanical and aerospace engineer best known for transforming complex science and engineering concepts into spectacular, shareable YouTube videos. He spent nine years at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory—seven of which were dedicated to the Curiosity rover now on Mars—before moving to Apple's Special Projects group. He launched his YouTube channel in 2011 while still at NASA, but it exploded in popularity after he left corporate life to create content full-time.
His videos are engineering projects first and entertainment second: the infamous glitter bomb prank on package thieves required months of circuit design, custom PCB fabrication, GPS integration, and camera work. This approach—using real engineering rigor to build things that are inherently watchable—has made him one of the most effective STEM communicators on the internet. He regularly collaborates with other science YouTubers and has participated in large-scale charity fundraising events such as the #TeamTrees and #TeamSeas campaigns.
In 2022, Rober founded CrunchLabs, an educational technology company that ships hands-on STEM subscription boxes to children and families. He has been recognized by the Institution of Engineering and Technology as an Honorary Fellow and STEM Personality of the Year, and was named one of Forbes 30 Under 30. His work demonstrates that communicating real engineering does not require dumbing things down—curiosity and showmanship are entirely compatible with technical accuracy.
Credentials
BS in Mechanical Engineering, Brigham Young University
Undergraduate mechanical engineering degree from accredited university
MS in Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern California
Graduate degree in mechanical engineering
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Engineer (2004–2013)
Nine years at JPL, seven spent on the Curiosity Mars rover; also contributed to GRAIL, SMAP, and other missions
Apple Special Projects Group Product Designer (2013–2018)
Five years doing product design in Apple's Special Projects group after leaving NASA
IET Honorary Fellow and STEM Personality of the Year 2021
Awarded by the Institution of Engineering and Technology for contributions to the engineering profession