Summary: National Geographic Television created multiplatform media to communicate the scientific and engineering stories unfolding in the Gulf region due to the major oil spill. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is one of the worst environmental disasters to occur in the U.S., and though traditional news outlets continue to report on the spill, there is little discussion about the scientific factors at play. They include the technology and engineering skills needed to stop the leak and contain the oil, the scientific and engineering efforts to mitigate its effects, and the potential impacts on the Earth system. Communicating these scientific and engineering concepts to the public is critical. National Geographic led an effort to report on the science and engineering behind the spill and its implications. This project included a 60-minute “Explorer” documentary television program that aired on the National Geographic Channels in September 2010; 16 weekly online “Science Journal” segments that featured interviews with scientists, engineers, and other experts, and promoted through National Geographic’s social media channels; ongoing online news coverage and blog reports from the Gulf region; and online content for children. Funding from the National Science Foundation specifically supported coverage of the science and engineering segments for the television program and digital content. The television program and digital content reached a broad public audience with critical science and engineering concepts. The entire project was designed to communicate scientific messages from the Gulf in real time and over the longer term and, in so doing, enhanced public understanding of science and engineering as it relates to the oil-spill crisis.
Project Dates: Aug 2010 – Jul 2011
Lead Agency: National Geographic Television
Funding Source: National Science Foundation
Contact: Maryanne Culpepper
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