This little bit of news falls into the category of super geeky cool!
Masi Oka has agreed to be the “global ambassador” for the One Laptop Per Child project and will be making online, and television appearances to “promote the importance of empowering children with learning tools and Internet connectivity”.
If you don’t know who Oka is then you’ve obviously never watched Heroes, but suffice it to say, for his role on that show alone, he’s earned a lot of geek cred.
But his thumbnail bio elevates that to a whole new level.
After moving to the U.S. from Japan at the age of 6, Masi went on to graduate from Brown University with degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science and a Theatre Arts minor. Oka pursued an acting career while taking his first job at George Lucas’ Oscar-winning special effects house Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). Today, despite his successful career as an actor, he continues to provide ILM with technology for groundbreaking effects for more than 30 films.
Acting in a live-action comic book, tech degree from an ivy-league college, and working for ILM?
He’s got my attention. :-)