Use of ground-breaking short YouTube videos to engage people in Science and STEM subjects has been shortlisted in the Widening Participation or Outreach Initiative category of the Times Higher Education awards.
The initiative began Nottingham Science, a YouTube channel showing the daily work of our scientists. This was followed by Periodic Table of Videos (Chemistry), Sixty Symbols (Physics), Deep Sky Videos (Astronomy) and Computerphile (Computer Science). These five channels by Brady Haran and experts at the University of Nottingham have attracted a staggering 362 million views and 3.2 million subscribers.
School pupils who were once bored by STEM report their interest has been reignited, encouraging them to pursue university-level study. Some videos have proved particularly appealing to children with learning difficulties (particularly autism) and are often used for home-schooling.
The videos have impacted positively on student numbers at the University of Nottingham, contributing to the University’s wider aim of maximising Higher Education participation amongst non-traditional and under-represented groups.
Winners will be announced at a gala awards evening at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London, on Thursday 29 November 2018.
Posted on Friday 7th September 2018