‘Master of the Universe’ Neil deGrasse Tyson to headline PBSC STEAM event
World-renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson will headline the Palm Beach State College Foundation’s annual STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) Initiative event, presented by Bank of America. The luncheon will take place at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts’ Cohen Pavilion in West Palm Beach.
“Neil deGrasse Tyson is a wildly popular speaker who has helped to make science relatable and accessible to the masses,” said Suellen Mann, executive director of the Foundation. “We are delighted that he will be a part of our ongoing work to advance STEAM education.”
Tyson is the director of Manhattan’s Hayden Planetarium and host of 2014’s Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, a continuation of Carl Sagan’s 1980 PBS miniseries exploring the infinite reaches of space and time. He holds 18 honorary doctorates and was awarded the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, the agency’s highest award given to a non-governmental citizen. He makes numerous public appearances and maintains an active social media presence, with more than 2.4 million Twitter followers eager to be informed and entertained by the scientist.
“Aptly referred to as the ‘Master of the Universe,’ Tyson will explore everyday opportunities to engage in science with his topic of ‘The Sky is NOT the Limit,’” said Yvonne Boice, local philanthropist and STEAM event chairperson.
Individual tickets are $150; a table of 10 is $1,400. To learn more about these and other opportunities to support the event, visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/Foundation/Steam or call 561-868-3450.
The luncheon’s presenting sponsor is Bank of America, which has awarded the PBSC Foundation a $30,000 STEAM workforce development and education grant. A portion of the grant will support the College Foundation’s mission to advance STEAM workforce development to better prepare students for 21st century careers.
“Bank of America is extremely pleased to support Palm Beach State College’s STEAM initiative, which is designed to ensure all community members have an opportunity to be trained in the high-demand, high-salaried STEM fields,” noted Fabiola Brumley, Palm Beach County president for Bank of America. “It’s even more gratifying to see how our grant is being used to present world-renowned scientists like Neil deGrasse Tyson at the annual STEAM luncheon, which creates increased community awareness and participation.”
In 2015, the Foundation will enter the third year in its five-year initiative to impact the projected shortage of local, skilled professionals in the STEAM fields. Its goals are to increase student scholarships, business partnerships, internships and other academic program enhancements to prepare more graduates for these high-wage, high-demand positions.
So if you have received a grant why are you charging $150.00 per individual seat for a luncheon?
No clue, but to see Neil deGrasse Tyson I’d pay that and some.