I’m Bill Nye and This Is How I Work
For many of us, Bill Nye is part of our childhood, playing an important role as a teacher and educator of science, while our impressionable minds may not have thought about asking why . On his TV show, he taught us why science is amazing by examining the details of how things work, and he continues to be a supporter of science education and research.
Bill is still busy – always busy. His recent book, Indisputable, explores the details of evolutionary theory in a way that demonstrates its roots in scientific method — essentially explaining how science works and why “theory” is not necessarily an ephemeral assumption. And Bill worked with General Electric’s #EmojiScience Lab to continue his story of awakening children’s interest in science, this time taking advantage of the new power of online media.
We got in touch with Bill to learn about his methods, his tricks and how he works.
Location: New York City most of the time, travel to Los Angeles quite often. Current position: CEO of The Planetary Society , empowering Earth’s citizens to advance space science and exploration, and recognize space and their place in it. One word that best describes how you work: Focused Current mobile device: iPhone 6 (regular size) Current computer: MacBook Air
How is your workplace arranged?
Table with keyboard below the table surface. I connect a large monitor, external speakers, and an external keyboard to my laptop at my home in Studio City, at the Planetary Society in Pasadena, and at my apartment in New York. Get the portability of a laptop with full desktop functionality – when I finally sit still.
I also have several technologies for making coffee in each location.
What apps, software or tools can’t you live without?
- Microsoft Word.
- Scanners – for converting documents to .pdf files.
- Almost every day, often two or four times a day, I use Embark to find NYC subway timetables.
- I rely on weather apps every day. I also take a lot of pictures every day with my phone.
- I love TurboScan.
What’s your best time-saver or life hack?
I scan and email documents such as engineering sketches and contract signature pages rather than mail or delivery. I do this because it’s easier, faster and more reliable. It also requires less energy and less resources. Soon, electronic signatures will be safe and secure enough, and soon I will be sketching on my tablet with probes at a quality sufficient for electronic transmission. Is this a life hack or does it change over time? Remind everyone, email goes one way. This does not guarantee that someone will act on it, agree with it, or even read it for hours and days 😉
What’s your favorite to-do list manager?
I rely heavily on note cards and pens to keep information outside of my body – but in my pocket. Phone to-do lists often get too long to be useful. My eyes and brain are missing key points. There is subtle information in the handwriting and symbols next to the lines that still helps me solve a list or sequence of tasks or assignments. Compare the list of the paper market with crossed out items to the electronic listing from which the items were removed.
What device, besides a phone and a computer, can you not live without and why?
Coffee makers of various descriptions and capabilities. I love the effect of caffeine, but perhaps more important is the ritual of a warm cup and delicious aroma.
As a science communicator for many years, do you find that your methods change and adapt as the media evolves?
Emojis are great. Evolution emojis were adorable in that recent video, but most of what viewers get from this snippet comes from words. Emoji are very similar to emoji drawn on stickers. The animations are great, but I would argue that there is nothing more exciting than a demo with physical objects. Seeing the animations of the mechanisms that drive the generators is good, but they are not as valuable as pedaling a bicycle to turn on a light bulb, or better yet, different styles of light bulbs.
Do you have a specific methodology for transforming complex concepts into easy-to-understand explanations?
Discuss, argue, analyze, think about what exactly you want the listener, viewer or student to receive.
Then, be very disciplined in the words you use to tell the story. I have met dozens of people, maybe hundreds, who, for example, do not associate the word “hydraulic fracturing” with the word “hydraulic fracturing”. Poisonous frogs and venomous snakes use toxins for a variety of reasons. But if you, as a student, don’t know the word poisonous, well, as a teacher, I messed it up.
In regards to your recent book, what tools do you use to manage large writing projects?
Most of the time I use Microsoft Word; I count words and write paragraphs and chapters all the time, many times a day or even many times an hour — along with handwritten notes, notes, and other notes. In Planetary Society, we use a lot of Google documents; they work well for a shared file.
I also rely on the Scriptwriter to write my script, which may appear this week (how cool would that be? !!) …
What are some of the things you do best in everyday life?
I seem to be good at tying bow ties. It is the result of practice and recognized knot infatuation. I also seem to be particularly good at making poached eggs. The fact that my friends and business partners cannot boil eggs is exciting in a different and, of course, alarming sense. To boil water. Add a few milliliters of white vinegar. Break the egg. Stir the water. Dip the egg in boiling water. Adjust the heat. Come back in three minutes and scoop out the egg with your bare hands … no wait, I mean with a spoon, a slotted spoon, if you have one.
What do you listen to while you work?
When I recycle a continuous stream of paper that I did not ask for, and the pieces of paper from which I extracted the necessary information, I listen to the music of the swing era. When I write a book, it’s silence – no music. When I do something fun, like vacuuming, I get into the top 20 satellite radio. I turn theUptown Funk as loud as possible. When I exercise, it’s a combination of these styles in wireless headphones. When I do something fun and dangerous, like riding my own bike or Citi-Bike in Manhattan, it’s not music. In my opinion, racers with headphones are asking for injury.
What are you reading now?
This changes everything , Naomi Klein (and this letter is from you …).
Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert?
I guess I’m an extrovert. However, when I concentrate, I don’t really like to interact with others.
What is your sleep pattern?
I’m between midnight and early risers. I get up around 7 am. I rarely need an alarm clock. When I travel and time zones change, I use an alarm clock on my phone. I can just ask Siri to wake me up. I no longer wear a travel alarm clock, which has been a staple on my travel checklist for years.
Fill in the blank: I would like _________ to answer these same questions.
… The girl of my dreams, whom I am going to marry.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
People are more alike than different; everyone you ever meet knows what you don’t.
What else would you like to add that might be of interest to readers and fans?
A good hacker allows you to do more with less. We need some fantastic big gimmicks to tackle climate change. So, hello everyone, let’s get busy!