Bishop Dunne Catholic School is proud to announce the 2009 GeoTech keynote speaker – Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. Tyson was born in 1959 in the Bronx, New York, and completed his pre-doctoral education with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University and a Masters of Science degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He completed his doctorate in astrophysics at Columbia University in 1991. His interests include wrestling and studying the stars.
Dr. deGrasse Tyson is a leading astrophysicist, the director of the venerable American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium, a columnist for Natural History Magazine, the host of PBS’s NOVA Origins miniseries, star of the PBS series NOVA scienceNOW, and is a frequent guest on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report. He has written eight popular books with the latest, Death by Black Hole, becoming a New York Times best seller.
Dr. deGrasse Tyson was featured in the July 7, 2008, Time Magazine, where he discusses his favorite scientist (Sir Isaac Newton), his favorite science fiction movies (Deep Impact and Contact), the search for life in the universe, NASA missions, black holes, and the Big Bang. Tyson was named in 2007 as one of Time Magazine’s one hundred most influential people in the world. One of his recent articles in Parade Magazine promotes interdisciplinary education and the importance of America investing more in aerospace discoveries and exploration.
In 2001, he was appointed by President Bush to serve on a 12-member commission that studied the future of the U.S. aerospace Industry. In 2004, Dr. Tyson was once again appointed by President Bush to serve on a 9-member commission on the Implementation of the United States Space Exploration Policy, dubbed the "Moon, Mars, and Beyond" commission. Recommendations from this group formed the foundation for President Bush's new space vision.
Dr. deGrasse Tyson is passionate about education, promoting excellence in science and math education, believing that we need to value science and math literacy or there will be consequences to the future of America’s economy, security and future in space.
The mission of GeoTech is to provide a forum to inspire and motivate educators in grades K-12 to teach about the Earth—its structure, societies, environments and their interplay—using a wide range of technologies. GeoTech brings together innovative presenters and teachers in all disciplines to share the latest in academic and technology innovations and to discover the importance of exploration, both personal and universal. GeoTech has been rated by the National Geographic Society as one of the most outstanding and successful educational conferences. GeoTech consists of three days, March 5 through March 7, 2009, of professional development in technology, Geographic Information Systems, and curriculum in all disciplines. Previous keynote speakers for GeoTech include Dr. Robert Ballard, Dr. Spencer Wells, Dr. Jane Goodall, Dr. Sally Ride, Dr. Mae Jemison, David Rumsey, Sister Helen Prejean and Dr. Dawn Wright.
The Director General of UNESCO and the President of the International Astronomical Union have declared 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy to “help citizens rediscover their place in the Universe through the day and night time sky and thereby engage a personal sense of wonder and discovery.” The International Year of Astronomy 2009 will promote the importance of astronomy, geography, science and technology with the belief that scientific knowledge can contribute to a more equitable and peaceful society.
Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson - Public Honors
- Medal of Excellence, 2001, Columbia University
- American Institute of Physics Science Writing Award awarded to One Universe
- Received four Honorary Doctoral Degrees, from University of Richmond, VA; Dominican College, Orangeburg, NY; Ramapo College, Mahwah, NJ and York College, CUNY
Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson - Books
- One Universe: At Home in the Cosmos
- The Sky Is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist
- Just Visiting this Planet
- Universe Down to Earth
- Merlin's Tour of the Universe
- Death by Black Hole, and Other Cosmic Quandaries
- The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America’s Favorite Planet
- Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution