Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization

An astrophysicist, author, and educator, Neil deGrasse Tyson was born in 1958 in New York City, New York, where he attended the Bronx High School of Science. He holds four degrees, including a BA in Physics from Harvard, an MA in Astronomy from University of Texas, and both an MA in Philosophy and a PhD in Astrophysics from Columbia University. In addition, he has been awarded 23 honorary doctorates. Tyson has had a diverse career; he has worked as a research scientist and as a lecturer, and he has served on two White House commissions. He is currently the head of the Hayden Planetarium and a research associate in the Department of Astrophysics at the renowned American Museum of Natural History, both in New York City. He was awarded the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Distinguished Public Service Medal. Both an asteroid, “13123 Tyson,” and a frog species, Indirana tysoni, were named after Tyson. He has also become a pop icon and was named People Magazine’s “Sexiest Astrophysicist Alive” in 2000.

Tyson’s career has centered on public education and promoting science literacy. Not only has he addressed the general population through his numerous accessible books, but he has also created a popular podcast, Star Talk, has hosted television shows, and has repeatedly appeared in the media, both on the news and on popular shows such as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.