Bill Nye '77, known by millions as the Science Guy and a tireless advocate for science education, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian honor, at a White House ceremony Jan. 4.
Nye was among 19 honorees to receive the distinction, including former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson, racial justice activist Fannie Lou Hamer (posthumous) and U2 frontman Bono.
Bill Nye '77 returned to campus in March 2022 to see the progress that a Big Red engineering team has made on a revamp of the solar noon feature on the Rhodes Hall clock that bears his name. He chatted with students and faculty, drew adoring crowds, and led a test of the clock's new controller.
As President Biden presented the medal to Nye, the White House announcer read a citation that praised Nye as "a beloved science educator for the nation."
"Earning 19 Emmy Awards for his energetic experiments on television as Bill Nye the Science Guy, he also earned the trust of millions of children and families," the announcer said. "By sharing the magic of fun and science, he inspires generations of Americans to follow facts and reason and leave the world better than we found it."
Nye earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at Cornell in 1977 and took an engineering job at Boeing, where he specialized in hydraulics systems on 747s. After winning a regional Steve Martin lookalike contest, he began venturing out to local comedy clubs and trying his hand at standup. He soon debuted his "Science Guy" persona on the Seattle television show "Almost Live!", which led to his nationally syndicated show, "Bill Nye the Science Guy," in the 1990s and later a Netflix series, "Bill Nye Saves the World."
Throughout his career, Nye has remained a popular presence at Cornell, speaking at campus events and convocations, and serving as a Frank H.T. Rhodes Visiting Professor from 2001-05. In 2011, he designed the Solar Noon Clock for Rhodes Hall.
Nye spoke at Senior Convocation during Cornell's 2019 Graduation Weekend.
Nye's dedication to science education continues through his work as CEO of the Planetary Society - a nonprofit co-founded by the late Cornell astronomy professor Carl Sagan - and "as a vocal advocate for space exploration and environmental stewardship," the White House said.
Nye helped design three sundials for the Mars Exploration Rover, working with Cornell professor Steve Squyres '78, Ph.D. '81, who serves as NASA's scientific principal investigator for the mission.
Also receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom this year was renowned primatologist and conservationist Jane Goodall, who was an A.D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell from 1996 to 2002.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1963. The first cohort included Cornell alumnus E.B. White, Class of 1921 - author of "Stuart Little" and "Charlotte's Web" and co-editor of the updated "The Elements of Style," written originally by Cornell professor William Strunk.
Other Cornellians who've received the award:
- Nobel laureate Toni Morrison, M.A. '55, received the medal from President Barack Obama in 2012;
- Sol M. Linowitz, L.L.B. '38, who served under President Jimmy Carter by negotiating Panama Canal treaties and Middle East peace agreements, received the medal from President Bill Clinton in 1998;
- Civil rights worker Michael "Mickey" Schwerner '61, who was slain in 1964 with his colleagues James Earl Chaney and Andrew Goodman in Mississippi by members of the Ku Klux Klan, were awarded the medal posthumously by Obama in 2014. Their murders were the subject of the 1988 film "Mississippi Burning" and the images of Schwerner, Chaney and Goodman are immortalized in stained glass at Cornell's Sage Chapel; and
- Anthony Fauci, M.D. '66, received the award from President George W. Bush in 2008 for his research and work on AIDS.
Biden called this year's recipients "heroes of the highest order" and said he was grateful that their work will inspire generations.
"For the final time as president, I have the honor of bestowing the Medal of Freedom … on a group of extraordinary, truly extraordinary people who gave their sacred effort to shape the culture and the cause of America," Biden said. "So let me just say to each of you, thank you, thank you, thank you for all you've done to help this country."
Blaine Friedlander contributed to this report.
