The Emmys to explore photosynthesis by giving Bill Nye his flowers

Nye, who spent six seasons as the star and co-creator of Bill Nye The Science Guy, was originally an engineer for Boeing before moving into comedy and TV in the 1980s, eventually successfully pitching (along with co-creators James McKenna and Erren Gottlieb) a show that updated Watch Mr. Wizard with editing and energy more akin to MTV. Nye has continued to make science-minded TV shows with some regularity in the intervening years, most recently for Netflix in 2017, when Bill Nye Saves The World ran for three seasons on the streamer.

The TV host gave a statement in response to the award, writing, in endearingly dorky fashion, that:

This is quite an honor. Thank you. As you may know, I pretty much put my heart and soul into all the shows I’ve worked on. I believe that the process of science is the best idea humans have ever had. I loved making shows that encouraged kids of all ages to embrace the P, B, and J—the Passion, Beauty, and Joy—of science, while also showing that you, the viewer, can change the world. I’ve spent my life doing what I love, and this award is not only a celebration of my past work, but a reminder of the impact we can have if we choose to invest in science education and the next generation of leaders.