Neil deGrasse Tyson Biography

Fast Facts

• President George W․ Bush appointed him to serve on a 12-member commission studying the future of the U․S․ aerospace industry in 2001, and on a 9-member commission on the implementation of the U․S․ space exploration policy in 2004
• Received the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, the organization's highest civilian award
• Graduated from Harvard University with a degree in physics and earned his Ph․D․ in astrophysics from Columbia University
• Developed an interest in astronomy as a child, and by 15, he was giving lectures on the subject
• Quote: "Science is an enterprise that should be cherished as an activity of the free human mind because it transforms who we are, how we live, and it gives us an understanding of our place in the universe․"
• As a radio and television host, he has sought to share his understanding and passion for science with the public, even those who thought they had no interest in the subject
• His research interests include star formation, exploding stars, dwarf galaxies and the structure of the Milky Way
• In addition to his scholarly work, he wrote a memoir called "The Sky Is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist
• People magazine voted him the "Sexiest Astrophysicist Alive" in 2000
• The International Astronomical Union named an asteroid "13123 Tyson" in his honor