Steve Spangler

Steve Spangler
Spangler in 2019
Born (1966-12-08) December 8, 1966 (age 58)
Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Occupation(s)Television personality
Author
Science teacher
Known forTelevision host DIY Sci
YouTube personality
Websitehttps://stevespangler.com/

Steve Spangler (born December 8, 1966) is an American television personality, author and STEM teacher.[1] Steve served as the CEO of Steve Spangler Science until 2018 when the company was sold to Really Good Stuff, LLC, a division of Excelligence Learning Corporation.[2][3] Spangler posted the first Diet Coke and Mentos video on YouTube in September 2005 and his 2002 televised demonstration of the eruption went viral, launching a chain of several other Diet Coke and Mentos experiment viral videos.[4][5] He earned two Heartland Emmy Awards and a total of five Emmy nominations. Spangler is an inductee of the National Speakers Association Speaker Hall of Fame.[6][7][8]

Career

Education work

Steve Spangler igniting methane-filled bubbles in the hands of a young teacher at Science in the Rockies 2011.

Spangler's career began as a science teacher in the Cherry Creek School District in Colorado.[9]

In 1992, Spangler began working as an adjunct faculty member at the Regis University in the Department of Chemistry.[10] He served as the Executive Director of the National Hands-on Science Institute until 2001.[10]

Television work

During his first year of teaching, a producer from the Denver, Colorado NBC affiliate KCNC-TV offered Spangler a position as a science host on News for Kids[9] after seeing him perform a science demonstration show at a public event.[9] News for Kids premiered in 1991 and was picked up for national syndication in 1993, airing in 185 cities every Saturday morning.[9] After six seasons, Spangler produced 220 segments that featured simple science experiments that viewers could easily recreate at home.

In 2001, Spangler joined the Denver NBC affiliate, KUSA-TV 9NEWS as their Science Education Contributor.[5][11]

The Diet Coke and Mentos eruption experiment was first televised by Spangler in 2002 and became popular on the Internet in 2005.[5] More than a thousand videos appeared online replicating the experiment.[5] Spangler was nominated for the Time 100 in 2007 because of the experiment.[4] He signed a licensing agreement with Perfetti Van Melle, the maker of MENTOS, in 2006 and developed a line of toys to be used with the experiment.[1][11][12]

Other work

Spangler is the author of seven books: Down to a Science, Taming the Tornado Tube, Bounce No Bounce, Fizz Factor, Secret Science, Naked Eggs and Flying Potatoes, Fire Bubbles and Exploding Toothpaste.[13]

Spangler also runs the Sick Science! YouTube channel[14] and a TikTok account.[15]

Awards

Spangler received a Heartland Emmy Award in 1997 for his contribution the television program News for Kids. In 2010, he received a Heartland Emmy Award for Spangler Science - Weather and Science Day at Coors Field.[6][8] Spangler also received a Guinness World Record for the largest physics lesson.[16]

Spangler was inducted into the National Speakers Association's Speaker Hall of Fame in 2010.[17]

In October 2011, Spangler was selected as one of 100 initial partners[18] for the YouTube Original Channel Initiative and received funding for the production of new original programming.[19] Spangler's YouTube show, The Spangler Effect, debuted February 1, 2012.[20][21]

Personal life

Steve Spangler was born on December 8, 1966, in Denver, Colorado. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a dual degree in chemistry and humanities in 1989.[13][22] Spangler has three sons.[23]

References

  1. ^ a b Tim Hyland (April 2012). "Meet the new Mr. Wizard". Speaker Magazine. Archived from the original on 27 July 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  2. ^ "Excelligence Learning Corporation® - News". www.excelligence.com. Retrieved 2022-09-08.
  3. ^ "Welcome to Be Amazing! Toys". Be Amazing! Toys. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  4. ^ a b Clayton Neuman (20 April 2007). "The TIME 100 — Are They Worthy?". TIME. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d "Steve Spangler". 9 News. 16 August 2011. Archived from the original on 22 June 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  6. ^ a b Susan Wells (18 February 2014). "New Sick Science! Kits Honored with Family Fun Award at New York's Toy Fair". Steve Spangler Science. Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  7. ^ "1997 Winners". The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. 1997. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  8. ^ a b "List of Winner and Nominees". The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. 2010. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  9. ^ a b c d "Steve Spangler on Science Magic and Why You're losing Booking to Non-Magicians". MUM. September 2006.
  10. ^ a b "Winter Science Workshop". National Hands-on Science Institute. 2003. Archived from the original on October 18, 2003. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  11. ^ a b Al Lewis Mentos-soda mix a mint for scientist Archived 2007-03-03 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved January 2, 2007.
  12. ^ Greg Sandoval (13 February 2007). "Toying with the Diet Coke and Mentos experiment". CNET. Archived from the original on 8 July 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  13. ^ a b Ron Davis (23 January 2011). "Science with flair: Q&A with educator Steve Spangler". Scranton Times-Tribune. The Times Tribune. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  14. ^ "Videos". Steve Spangler Science. Archived from the original on July 27, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  15. ^ "@stevespangler on TikTok". TikTok. Archived from the original on 2020-07-16. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  16. ^ "Largest physics lesson". Guinness World Records. 7 May 2009. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  17. ^ "CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame". National Speakers Association. Archived from the original on 11 August 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  18. ^ YouTube Announces TV Initiative With 100 Niche Channels Archived 2012-05-01 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved November 21, 2012
  19. ^ Amir Efrati; Lauren A.E. Schuker (29 October 2011). "YouTube Tees Up Big Talent". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  20. ^ "The Spangler Effect to Debut on New YouTube Channel February 1st". 26 January 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  21. ^ Marc Hustvedt (28 October 2011). "YouTube Reveals Original Channels". TubeFilter. Archived from the original on 19 June 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  22. ^ "Mentos provide alum an "exploding" hobby" (PDF). The Coloradan. March 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  23. ^ "The Family Who Eats Fire Together Sticks Together - Growing up in a Family of Magicians". 8 December 2008.