Bill Nye the Science Guy to Speak at Penn State

Everyone’s favorite scientist is coming to Penn State.

The Student Programming Association announced today that Bill Nye will speak on campus at Eisenhower Auditorium on Wednesday, November 18 at 8 p.m. as part of SPA’s Distinguished Speaker Series.

Nye is unique in that he is part engineer, part comedian, and is widely appreciated for being able to make science “cool.” Nye earned his degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell. After that, he combined his quirky antics with his love for science to create “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” a children’s show that used to mean the best day of science class in elementary school.

Nye won 28 Emmy’s for his performance on the show and has written five children’s books. Nye regularly appears in the entertainment industry as an educator and science personality.

In addition to his TV appearances, Nye worked on part of the Mars Exploration Rover, tutors inner-city kids, and holds a number of patents. If his scientific and “edutainment” successes weren’t enough, Nye also appeared on “Dancing With The Stars” in 2013. He was eliminated due to a quad injury, but the guy was 57 at the time, so cut him some slack.

The lecture is free to students and tickets can be picked up (free with a valid Penn State ID) at the BJC, the HUB ticket desk, Eisenhower Auditorium, or the Downtown Theatre. Tickets will be available to students starting November 4 and to the public one week later on November 11, if available.

If Nye’s lecture is anything like his show, it’s sure to be highly informative yet entertainingly quirky. In the meantime, if you needed an excuse to procrastinate studying for midterms, there are full episodes of “Bill Nye the Science Guy” on Youtube. I’m sorry, and you’re welcome.