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Nathan Ball Edit Profile

athletics competitor

Nathan "Nate" Ball is a mechanical engineer, entrepreneur, television host, children"s author, pole vaulter, and beatboxer.

Background

He was born May 13, 1983 and grew up in Newport, Oregon.

Education

He moved to Boston, Master of Arts in 2001 to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he studied mechanical engineering and earned two degrees: a Bachelor of Surgery (2005) and an Master of Surgery (2007).

Career

Nate has served as a host on the Public Broadcasting Service Kids show Design Squad since it first aired in 2007. Ball has appeared in an episode of MythBusters, a History Channel special on Batman technology, in an insurance advertisement, and in a FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman season 4 episode. Nate was also featured on the Public Broadcasting Service Nova series The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers.

He is the author of the Alien in my Pocket series of science-adventure chapter books for kids, published by HarperCollins Children"son

In 2005 he co-founded a business to develop the Atlas Powered Ascender, a tool he helped create that enables "reverse rappelling" up vertical surfaces at high speed. He was awarded the in 2007 for his work on the Atlas Powered Ascender, an improved needle-free jet injector system, and his work in engineering outreach with children.

Nate is a two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association All-American pole-vaulter with a personal record of 16" 8 ¾"., and is listed as the co-inventor on 6 patent applications.