Story by Lauren Pond
In a video reel that has received more than 54,600 likes on Instagram, user @the_lab_life1, a master’s student in microbiology at the University of Toronto, offers a crash course in Halloween “bacteria art.”
First, she carefully traces the outline of Frankenstein in a petri dish with Porphyromonas gingivalis, an anaerobic bacteria that “smells like an 85-year-old woman’s dentures.” After incubation, it’s time to add some color, including Micrococcus luteus for yellow-tinted teeth and eyes.
“And I added some pneumonia for a little green color,” she explains, before showing off the striking likeness of the monster.
Although not the most orthodox way to talk about complex topics like microbial properties, the playful, personal videos of social media personalities like @the_lab_life1 may help engage younger audiences with science, Olivia Maule and Maren Hunsberger suggested during the "Engaging GenZ with Science Using Social Media Video and Dancing" NASW workshop at ScienceWriters2024 in Raleigh, N.C. The pair’s Nov. 9 presentation on science and social media drew around 60 people and focused on the ways science writers can leverage platforms like TikTok and Instagram to expand the reach of their work among new generations.
Held only days after the 2024 general election, which saw the re-election of former president Donald J. Trump and a historically anti-science administration, this year’s NASW conference carried undeniable undercurrents of worry and pessimism.
But Hunsberger and Maule’s session offered a glimmer of hope: Gen Z. The presenters defined this generation as people born after 1996, explaining that it is the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in the history of the United States. Gen Zers will make up 30 percent of the workforce in 2030, and along with Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996), will be the majority of the American electorate in 2028, the speakers said. Outreach to Gen Z may offer new opportunities to reduce polarization, and engaging this demographic with science is imperative.
The key is actually reaching them.
Unlike prior generations, members of Gen Z are unlikely to be reading articles in media outlets or scientific journals, listening to science radio or watching feature-length science documentaries. Social media is their primary source of news, Hunsberger and Maule said, with 50 percent of Gen Zers using it for this purpose on a daily basis (compared to only four percent who turn to national newspapers for information, for example). And within this social media universe, TikTok and Instagram reels are by far the most popular platforms.
Enter science videos full of dancing, catchy music and personalized narration.
In addition to petri dish art projects, videos by @the_lab_life1 playfully explore the spectrum of bacteria found on everyday objects like lipstick, toilet paper dispensers and hairbrushes. Some even strike a more personal tone and show off @the_lab_life1’s exercise routines and weekly lab outfits, giving viewers a humanizing glimpse behind the white coat.
Reels by @Astro.Alexandra, on the other hand, speak directly to the viewer about science issues. “Are there astronauts stranded and suffering in space right now?” she asks incredulously, referring to rumors about the inaugural Boeing Starliner crew members who have been living aboard the International Space Station for more than 160 days. The former NASA communications specialist then reassures her viewers by sharing technical details about the astronauts’ journey, expertise and upcoming return on SpaceX. “While they’re certainly homesick, they are completely fine and okay, and they have plenty of supplies,” she says.
And there are many other video varieties.
“We’re professionally trained that this isn’t a valid way to communicate,” Hunsberger said, emphasizing the anecdotal and narrative approach many such reels take. However, “this is the way information has the most power.”
She and Maule should know.
Trained in science communication as well as medical microbiology and bacteriology, Hunsberger is an award-winning science media producer with more than 130,000 followers and subscribers across social media platforms. Using the handle @marenmicrobe, she has garnered more than five million likes for her video reels and series, like one about Mpox that has been played nearly 11 million times.
And Maule herself is a member of Gen Z. A senior at the University of Florida who studies butterfly evolution, she regularly shares research through writing, podcasts and video in multiple languages.
“I think science should not be gate-kept,” she said.
As the panel continued, the pair invited NASW attendees to get acquainted with the kinds of followers they themselves have engaged. Immerse yourself in their world, they suggested. Get out of “algorithmic bubbles” by creating social media accounts in the Gen Z age bracket. Observe the kinds of content this generation consumes.
In addition to absurdity and dark humor, Gen Z values relevance, uniqueness and authenticity, Hunsberger and Maule said. But perhaps above all, they value relatability. Gen Zers are part of a deeply skeptical, overwhelmed demographic that does not want to learn about science from an expert in a lab or ivory tower – but from someone who looks and speaks like they do, and who is willing to learn along with them. Viewers are more likely to be open to science if they connect with the people doing it, the speakers stressed.
After sharing video examples, Hunsberger and Maule invited NASW participants to try making one for themselves using some of the tools and strategies discussed. The convention center meeting room briefly buzzed with conversation as some people brainstormed video ideas aloud and filmed on their smartphones. One attendee went around the room asking people the same question: What’s a fun science fact you’ve learned recently?
“Sharks are older than Saturn’s rings,” responded Lillian Steenblik Hwang, the associate digital editor for Science News Explores.
Hunsberger and Maule also offered a few practical video tips: Front-load the video with text and make sure it is captioned, because many people watch with their device’s audio off. Be cautious about including blood and culturally sensitive topics. Keep videos short, captivating and digestible.
Concise videos don’t necessarily mean less work, of course. Social media content production can be a “hefty effort,” they said, and involves a huge amount of time and institutional resources. If social media is the focus of someone’s job, it also risks becoming all-consuming. But this risk might be a necessary one.
“Social media is the frontline of misinformation and disinformation,” Hunsberger said. “How can we combat this if we’re not there?”
Organizers Olivia Maule and Maren Hunsberger speaking at their workshop at ScienceWriters2024. (Ben Young Landis/NASW)
Lauren Pond (laurenpondphoto.com) is a versatile communications professional and creative producer who seeks to advance the public impact of academic research. She serves as the Marketing and Communications Associate of The Ohio State University’s Department of Psychology, where she publicizes groundbreaking work on the human mind, brain and behavior, including research by the new Collaborative on the Science of Polarization and Misinformation (C-SPAM). She previously produced multimedia for the University of Chicago Divinity School and the American Religious Sounds Project at Ohio State. Lauren is also an award-winning documentary photographer whose work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, The Washington Post, The Guardian and The Wall Street Journal. She published her first photography book, Test of Faith, through Duke University Press in 2017.
This ScienceWriters2024 conference coverage article was produced as part of the NASW Conference Support Grant awarded to Pond to attend the ScienceWriters2024 national conference. Find more 2024 conference coverage at www.nasw.org
A co-production of the National Association of Science Writers (NASW), the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing (CASW), and the Science Communicators of North Carolina (SCONC), the ScienceWriters2024 national conference featured an online portion Oct. 16-18, followed by an in-person portion held in Raleigh, N.C., Nov. 8-11. Follow the conversation via #SciWri24 on Bluesky and on LinkedIn.
Founded in 1934 with a mission to fight for the free flow of science news, NASW is an organization of ~2,400 professional journalists, authors, editors, producers, public information officers, students and people who write and produce material intended to inform the public about science, health, engineering, and technology. To learn more, visit www.nasw.org and follow NASW on LinkedIn and Bluesky. And join us in celebrating #NASW90th.
Credits: Reporting by Lauren Pond; edited by Ben Young Landis.
