Abstract

Delaware Sea Grant’s Project VIDEO (Virtual, Interactive, Dark Energy Outreach; www.deseagrant.org/projectvideo) was launched to increase the awareness of not only researchers, but also the general public, of how individual concepts and technologies tie into deep biosphere science. We strived to accomplish this in a way that is accessible, engaging, and fits into the limited free time and attention span of today’s population. Working with a host of C-DEBI (and other) scientists and staff, we produced: 52 episodes of 15 Second Science—with thirteen episodes in English and Spanish—seventeen Dive Deeper segments, which expand on 15 Second Science topics, in 1-3 minute videos; and four virtual reality tours, which include twenty six 360-degree/spherical images with embedded 15 Second Science and Dive Deeper videos. All of these products focus on C-DEBI topics, including deep sea microbes, adaptations, chemistry, and the tools used to complete deep sea science, like the JOIDES Resolution, pressure vessels, fermenters, and bioreactors. Over the life of Project VIDEO, these 15 Second Science episodes have garnered more than 32,250 views on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, and the project has been disseminated to over 500 classroom teachers, non-formal educators, scientists, and journalists through conference presentations and in-depth workshops (submitted and invited), and over 250 participants at Delaware Coast Day 2017, our annual open house. Project VIDEO provided early, mid-, and late-career scientist an opportunity to share their science in an engaging, jargon-free, shareable format; and won state and national recognition, including a 2017 APEX Grand Award.