Professional Life

Neil deGrasse Tyson has become one of the most recognizable scientists of modern day times. The main reason for this is likely due to the fact that he is not only highly intelligent in his fields of study, but also because he can relay science in a way that is as easily understandable as it is informative. Neil has research focused in the following areas: Stellar Formation, Galactic Astronomy, Bulges, Stellar Evolution, and Cosmology. However, his main focus is to improve the world's scientific literacy by whatever means possible, which is why he is frequently lecturing, guest speaking, and having media days to constantly expose new audiences to science. Neil Tyson is truly breaking the barriers that exist between scientists and the general public and making sure that science is known to all.

Below is a list of some of Tyson's achievements:

He has held Positions at the University of Maryland, the American Museum of Natural History, Princeton University, Hayden Planetarium, and has even been a presidential adviser for George Bush.
A few of his most notable awards include: NASA distinguished Public Service Medal, being named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine and also one of Discover Magazine's 10 most influential people in science, and he has received eighteen honorary doctorates.
Tyson has also written many books, such as The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America's Favorite Planet, Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries, and Universe Down to Earth.
Neil has also been involved in various media outlets, such as radio (Co-Hosting StarTalk) and is a frequent guest speaker on various other stations. In addition, he was the host of Nova ScienceNow and has appeared on the Late Night Show with both Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Fallon, the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, as well as The Colbert Report. Most recently, Neil was the host of National Geographic's "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey"
Neil was also very influential in the demotion of Pluto's planetary status, which has been one of the most highly scrutinized areas of his professional career.
Finally, he has his very own asteroid, asteroid 13123 Tyson, named after him.

Posing for National Geographic

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"The four most common chemically active elements in the universe-hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen-are the four most common elements of life on Earth. We are not simply in the universe. The universe is in us."
-Neil deGrasse Tyson

One of Neil's Books

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