A Canadian radio personality who helped make geek chic is coming to Thompson Rivers University on Monday, March 4.

Bob McDonald, host of CBC science show Quirks and Quarks, presents his lecture Thriving in the Third Millennium at 7 p.m. in the Campus Activity Centre's Grand Hall.

The free talk is expected to "provide a provocative glimpse into what lies ahead in this rapidly changing world," according to organizers.

Quirks and Quarks is a weekly radio show focused on innovative and surprising science related issues. This week, the show features a blind man who can use echolocation to navigate, like a bat, by making clicking sounds with his mouth.

It has run since 1975 and was once hosted by David Suzuki.

Described as an avid promoter of science, McDonald has hosted the show since 1992. Quirks and Quarks now draws about 500,000 listeners each week.

He has also written a number of books including Wonderstruck, Wonderstruck II and Measuring the Earth with a Stick: Science as I've Seen It, which was short-listed for the Canadian Science Writers Association book award. He also sits on several science-related boards.

He earned the "triple crown" of Canadian science awards with the 2001 Michael Smith Award for Science Promotion from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the 2002 Sandford Fleming Medal from the Royal Canadian Institute and the 2005 McNeil Medal for the Public Awareness of Science from the Royal Society of Canada.

And in June 2011, McDonald was appointed to the Order of Canada.