Bill Nye (b. 1955) grew up in Washington D.C. and studied mechanical engineering at Cornell University. He moved to Seattle to work for Boeing and later Sundstrand Data Control and other local companies. As an engineer, he needed practical and protective clothing when he would visit the shop and work hands-on with the machinery. This is one of the shop coats he used, which he hemmed, added a pocket, and embroidered “Bill” on the upper left side. During this time Nye was also becoming interested in standup and Seattle’s local comedy scene. In 1986 he left his full-time engineering job and soon became a writer and performer on the Seattle comedy show Almost Live! He started doing comedic science demonstrations which were a big hit with the Almost Live! audience. His own TV show “Bill Nye the Science Guy” was filmed and produced in Seattle from 1993-1999. In 2010 Nye became the CEO of the Planetary Society and he put this coat back in service. The pin on the lapel is the logo for the Planetary Society.