Glory
You may be partly responsible for advancing our nation into the final frontier, or for improving our military capabilities. You're like the coolest of all the nerds; and in this field, that's a badge of honor, not something that'll get you stuffed in a locker.
Still, we probably shouldn't refer to you as a nerd. When the space shuttles come to pick us up and take us all to the international space station so we can escape our planet that has been devastated by melting polar icecaps and nuclear warfare, it may be you that decides who gets to come aboard. If that's the case, then have we mentioned how nice you look in that bow tie? And that we hope you live long and prosper?