The Science Guy to Keynote YES! Expo

Emmy Award-winner Bill Nye will bring his zany, smart and very accessible brand of science to the Michigan Youth Engineering and Science (YES!) Expo, set for Nov. 2 at Detroit's Ford Field.

"Many of us remember him from his TV show 'Bill Nye the Science Guy'--he makes science exciting and fun," said Pete Cattelino, director of the YES! Expo and Educational Programs at Michigan Tech. "We're thrilled to have him be part of the YES! Expo and share that message about science and engineering."

This is the third year that Michigan Tech is hosting the event, which attracts thousands of middle- and high-school students. Dozens of colleges, universities, corporations and agencies will be on hand to inspire students to consider careers in engineering, science and other technology-related fields.

Nye has spent most of his life being inspired by science and passing that inspiration on to others in the funniest possible way. He has made a number of award-winning shows, including the one he became so well known for, "Bill Nye the Science Guy," which won 28 Emmys in five years.

Nye has written several children's science books and is the host of two television series, "The 100 Greatest Discoveries" on the Science Channel and "The Eyes of Nye" on PBS.

This year, YES! Expo is expected to attract more than 60 companies, 25 colleges and universities and about two dozen organizations ranging from NASA to the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, along with 15,000 secondary school students.

"We'd like even more businesses to become sponsors," Cattelino said. "Now more than ever, it's important to open young people's eyes to science and engineering, and the YES! Expo does that. For the last two years, the two words I heard most from the students were 'cool' and 'awesome,' and this year's Expo will be even better."

Caterpillar is one company that will be coming back. "The Expo is a great place to meet a lot of students all at once and spark their interest in technology careers," said Michigan Tech alumna Britta Jost, an engineer at Caterpillar in East Peoria, Ill. "It was also a good backdrop for us to showcase the cool careers for engineers and scientists at a high-tech company like Cat. There are lots of neat, hands-on things you can do, and the students at the Expo really get into it."

The YES! Expo 2006 takes place at a pivotal time. Statistics indicate that the number of science and engineering degrees awarded in the U.S. has dropped dramatically. As a result, industry leaders say that there will not be enough skilled engineers, scientists and technicians to fill demand. Increasing the number of engineers and scientists is critical to the future of Michigan's industry and economy.

YES! Expo 2006 tackles this problem by involving students in grades eight through 12 in special technology-based displays and exhibits that showcase the fascinating world of science and engineering.

Tickets are free for students and accompanying adults and can be ordered online at http://www.yes.mtu.edu . For more information, visit the website or contact Pete Cattelino, director, YES! Expo and Educational Programs, 487-3486 or pjcattel@mtu.edu.

For more information on Bill Nye, visit http://www.billnye.com/ .

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan’s flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.