PEMBROKE – Bill Nye will speak at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 8 in the Givens Performing Arts Center at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Tickets are $10 for the general public.

Nye, also known as the “Science Guy,” is the first speaker on UNCP’s 2009-10 Distinguished Speaker Series that includes rapper Chuck D, former CIA agent Valerie Nye is a scientist, engineer, comedian, author, inventor and a man on a mission to help foster a scientifically literate society.

While working on the “Science Guy” show, Nye won seven Emmy Awards for writing, performing and producing. With his weekly, half-hour television series, “Disney Presents Bill Nye the Science Guy,” he continues letting kids know that science is powerful.

America’s favorite stand-up scientist remains the same kid growing up in Washington, D.C. The Science Guy still rides his bike to work.

Nye studied mechanical engineering at Cornell University's School of Engineering, where one of his professors was Carl Sagan. From 2001 – 06, Nye served as Frank H.T. Rhodes-Class of '56 Distinguished Professor at his alma mater.

Nye began his career in Seattle at Boeing where he starred in training films and developed a hydraulic pressure resonance suppressor that is still being used in Boeing jets. Later, he worked as a consultant and in the aeronautics industry.

Nye hosted the educational television program “Bill Nye the Science Guy” from 1993 - 97. Each of the 100 episodes aimed to teach a specific topic in science to a pre-teen audience, yet it garnered a wide adult audience as well. He has written several books as the Science Guy.

Nye remained interested in science education through entertainment. He created a 13-episode PBS KCTS-TV series about science, called “The Eyes of Nye,” aimed at an older audience than his previous show. Airing in 2005, it often featured episodes based on politically relevant themes such as genetically modified food, global warming, and race.

 He played in Disney's 1998 TV movie “The Principal Takes a Holiday.” From 2000 - 02, Nye was the technical expert in “BattleBots.”  In 2004 - 05, he hosted “100 Greatest Discoveries,” an award-winning series produced for Discovery Channel-spinoff the Science Channel and in high definition on the Discovery HD Theater.

 Nye appears in segments of “The Climate Code” on The Weather Channel telling his personal ways of saving energy. He still makes regular appearances on the show, often asking quiz questions.

 Since 2007, Nye and environmental activist Ed Begley, Jr., engaged in a friendly competition “to see who could have the lowest carbon footprint,” according to Begley. Nye and Begley are neighbors in Los Angeles and sometimes dine together at a local vegetarian restaurant.

For ticket information, please call the box office at (910) 521-6361.