Science-A-Thon 2020 Recap

By: Mattie Bindl, Science-A-Thon Program Coordinator

November 23, 2020

After a year filled with unexpected twists and turns, it’s important to take a moment to give thanks to the people and experiences that have made our lives a little brighter.

Science-A-Thon, an annual activity of ESWN, is a five-day social media celebration of science,  engineering, technology, and math – widely known as STEM. The goal of Science-A-Thon is to increase visibility of science and the important role it plays in the world.

From October 12-16, 2020, participants shared their #dayofscience, posting photos and videos on social media of their daily routine as STEM professionals. With over 200 participants around the world and thousands more following along online, Science-A-Thon increased its Twitter following from 12,000 to over 31,000 followers during the week of the event! Posts featured everything from morning cups of coffee, to creative work-from-home office spaces, to furry four-legged co-workers, to Science-A-Thon’s signature “I Heart Science” t-shirts.

Science-A-Thon 2020 garnered over 3.7 million Tweets impressions during the week of the event — including over 7,000 profile visits, 26,200 likes, and more than 12,000 retweets. The virtual celebration of science added a splash of positivity amidst all of this year’s doomscrolling, while amplifying the voices of women and underrepresented groups in STEM.

This annual #dayofscience event is a must-do for many science professionals and enthusiasts. In a post-event survey, over 90% of respondents said they are likely to participate next year in Science-A-Thon 2021 and 9.2 out of 10 respondents would recommend Science-A-Thon to a friend or colleague. Testimonials from Science-A-Thon 2020 participants highlight what they enjoyed most about the event:

“Although I didn’t sign up to see the ‘human side’ of science, that was what I enjoyed most. Seeing others’ pictures of how they cope and do self-care, especially in these times, made me feel better about my struggles.”

“The diversity of scientists participating and getting a glimpse into each other’s daily routines.”

“I love when female scientists post pics every hour of the day. I liked meeting new scientists that way. I liked reaching out to other scientists and I liked when others reached out to me. I liked seeing the friend I encouraged to participate have some featured photos!”

Science-A-Thon 2020 was made possible by the generous contributions of the following sponsors: Twitter, Alliant Energy, and Promega. Twitter for Good — an initiative of Twitter dedicated to community engagement and corporate giving — provided an in-kind advertisement grant that helped amplify the voice of science, increase engagement, and expand the Science-A-Thon social media community.

Many thanks to partners at the Wisconsin Energy Institute, the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, and the Society of Exploration Geophysicists Women’s Network (SEGWN) for broadening the infrastructure, outreach, and impact of this global social media event.

Stay up to date with what’s happening in the world of Science-A-Thon and ESWN by following @science_a_thon on Twitter or @scienceathon on Instagram and Facebook or visit https://www.scienceathon.org/ for more information. You can also support current and future initiatives of Science-A-Thon and ESWN by shopping online at the Science-A-Thon Store, featuring all new items for the holiday season.

Science-A-Thon and ESWN wish to extend their sincere gratitude to all participants and ESWN members who made this high-impact event a success! The Science-A-Thon Leadership Team is already planning Science-A-Thon 2021. If you or a friend know an organization that would make a great sponsor or partner of Science-A-Thon, we’d love if you could make an introduction. Please email Science-A-Thon Program Coordinator Mattie Bindl at [email protected]. The best way for this event to grow is by word of mouth.