PBS, known for its educational content spanning decades, has expanded its digital footprint to Twitch, Amazon’s streaming platform, with the launch of “Building Stuff with NOVA.” This initiative marks PBS’s foray into the interactive world of live streaming, aiming to engage a new generation of viewers through gamified scientific exploration.
NOVA, a venerable science series originating from PBS affiliate GBH in 1974, boasts nearly a thousand episodes delving into scientific discoveries and innovations over the past fifty years. The new Twitch channel, “Building Stuff,” led by former NASA researcher Dr. Nehemiah Mabry, takes NOVA’s educational mission into the realm of live streaming with a blend of gameplay and scientific discourse.
Dr. Nehemiah Mabry, affectionately known as “Dr. Nee,” anchors the Twitch streams, which feature interactive elements like gameplay sessions and interviews with fellow scientists and engineers. The channel’s approach combines educational content with entertainment, leveraging platforms like Twitch to reach audiences beyond traditional television.
In its debut streams, “Building Stuff” featured engaging content such as Kerbal Space Program sessions, where Dr. Nee and guest engineer Elio Morillo from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory tackled simulated spaceflight challenges. This interactive format allows viewers to participate actively, posing questions and influencing gameplay decisions in real-time.
“Engineering is ingrained in our thinking and actions, driven by our innate desire to innovate and improve our world,” stated Dr. Nee, emphasizing the channel’s goal to foster curiosity and creativity among viewers through entertaining and educational content.
Produced by STEMedia Incorporated for GBH, “Building Stuff” plans to broadcast streams daily until October, culminating in a live-streamed escape room challenge involving GBH employees and Twitch participants. This event aims to showcase the channel’s blend of scientific knowledge and interactive entertainment, offering viewers a unique opportunity to engage directly with engineering challenges.
As PBS expands its presence on digital platforms like Twitch, the impact of “Building Stuff with NOVA” remains to be fully realized. However, its innovative approach to combining scientific education with interactive gameplay suggests a promising avenue for engaging tech-savvy audiences and promoting STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) literacy in new and exciting ways.
ADVERTISEMENT
Moving forward, PBS anticipates that “Building Stuff” will continue to evolve, potentially influencing educational initiatives and inspiring future engineers and scientists through its engaging Twitch broadcasts.
