Bill Nye, who became "The Science Guy" on
Seattle comedy television, will become
executive director of the Planetary Society in
September. Photo: Planetary Society.
Bill Nye “The Science Guy,” who first gained celebrity on Seattle television, has been named the new executive director of the Planetary Society. Nye will be just the second executive director in the organization’s 30-year history, taking the reins in September from Louis Friedman who, along with Carl Sagan and Bruce Murray, founded the Planetary Society in 1980.
In a letter today to the society’s membership, board chair Dan Geraci said the selection of Nye was unanimous.
“We are confident Bill will ensure that the legacy created over these past 30 years—by our founders and by our members and supporters around the world—will grow and thrive for decades to come,” Geraci wrote.
“Under Bill’s direction, The Planetary Society will continue to pursue bigger and bolder ideas and projects, while becoming an ever more vocal advocate for the exploration of space and the involvement of all generations in our quest to know more about the cosmos,” he continued. “Who better than Bill to engage and motivate a new generation of space enthusiasts and Planetary Society members? And who better than Bill to energize our vast membership and donor base to drive us to new heights? Bill will lead our dedicated and experienced staff in support of an exciting and evolving strategic plan. We have the right team for the right time.”
The appointment of Nye is something of a circle-is-complete story. He took an astronomy course from Sagan at Cornell, where Nye earned a degree in mechanical engineering. That degree brought him to Seattle for a job with Boeing. He moonlighted as a comedian, and eventually joined the comedy program “Almost Live!” on Seattle’s KING-TV, where the science guy character was born. Nye was on the show during the late ‘80s and early '90s. The character eventually spun off into the Bill Nye the Science Guy series on PBS, produced locally by KCTS-TV. The show won 18 Emmy awards. These days he hosts three other science shows.
Nye has served on the Planetary Society’s board of directors for more than a decade, and has been its vice president since 2005.
“As my astronomy professor Carl Sagan used to say, ‘When you’re in love, you want to tell the world,’” said Nye. “I'm a charter member of the Planetary Society. Now as executive director, I’ve been given the chance to share the passion, beauty, and joy of space exploration with other members and the world.”
For more information:
- Bill Nye website
- Nye bio
- Planetary Society news release
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