In a move designed to boost science enrollment, the University has announced that Bill Nye will teach the interdisciplinary "Science Sequence" beginning next year.
Nye, the science guy, is known for his bowtiesHe was chosen for his ability to teach across subjects in the natural sciences, and for his ability to blow things up in a way that is totally safe for your own home, said Dean of the Faculty David Dobkin.
"When I saw the episode where he explains the volcanism using vinegar and baking soda, I knew he was the right choice for the University community," Dobkin said. "When I tried that, I nearly blew up Nassau Hall."
"I am excited to get to know many talented students who I will have the opportunity to introduce to the amazing world of science," Nye said. "Did you know that a meter was intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the Equator?"
Nye, who graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell in 1977, said he intends to bring a fun attitude to the classroom, including using musical interludes where mid-'90s pop songs are rewritten with lyrics about science.
In order to meet Nye's extremely high salary demands, Dobkin fired 11 veteran professors, including biophysicist Bill Bialek and Director of the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics David Botstein in the move.
He said he was motivated by the need to make the study of science more "awesome."
While he said it was important to teach an "integrated, mathematically and computationally sophisticated introduction to physics and chemistry," Dobkin said many students had complained that the class was "boring."
According to the University registrar's website, the course's reading list includes "Bill Nye the Science's Guy's Big Blast of Science" and "Bill Nye the Science Guy's Great Big Book of Tiny Germs."
The "science sequence," cross-listed by the chemistry, computer science, physics and molecular biology departments, is titled "An integrated, quantitative introduction to the natural sciences." It is a two-semester, four-credit course, which is really, really large amount of work.
Nye will take over the Public Television Celebrity Chair from TV learn-to-paint show legend Bob Ross, who had taught ART 494: Painting Happy Trees. This article is part of The Daily Princetonian's 2005 Joke Issue.
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