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Research Educational Entertainment Lab (R.E.E.L.)

The School of Data Science and Society, in partnership with Josh Starmer from StatQuest, is excited to announce a video contest. Students and postdoctoral fellows are invited to create a video that showcases science research and demonstrates their ability to break down complex ideas into accessible and engaging content. This is a fantastic opportunity to enhance your communication skills and share your research (or an interesting topic) with a broader audience. Winners will be chosen by a panel of judges and prizes awarded during the live R.E.E.L. event during University Research Week on Monday, October 21 at 3:00 pm at the Ackland Art Museum. 

Please register for this event through Heel Life (students must register for CLE credit).  

Eligibility

All current UNC-Chapel Hill undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows, either individuals or teams of two, are eligible.

Contest Overview

  • Each participant or team may submit only one video no longer than 5 minutes in length.
  • All content must be original, with no inappropriate content, with any external content properly credited.
  • Videos should focus on science, either explaining a science topic or presenting a participant’s own research.
  • Videos must be clear, concise and accessible to a general audience.
  • Videos will be judged based on clarity, creativity, accuracy, quality and adherence to contest rules.

Prizes and Industry Sponsors

This contest is sponsored by Lightning.ai, NVIDIA, and Posit. Prizes will be awarded to the top submissions:

  • 1st Place: $300
  • 2nd Place: $150
  • 3rd Place: $100

All three top three submissions will receive a certification fee waiver for any course from NVIDIA, a 1-month Studio Pro membership and t-shirt from Lightning.ai, and a 1-year premium of shinyapps.io, Posit Cloud, and Connect Cloud and a t-shirt from Posit.

All participants will receive 10% off self-paced courses, instructor led workshops and certifications from NVIDIA, in addition to stickers from Lightning.ai and Posit. Attend the event on Monday, October 21 during University Research Week to collect your merchandise!

Judging Criteria

  • Clarity: How well does the video break down complex topics for a general audience?
  • Creativity: How creatively are the concepts and ideas presented?
  • Accuracy: Is the content factually correct and well-researched? Does the video represent a strong understanding of the subject?
  • Quality: Is the video well-produced, with clear audio and effective editing? Are graphics or other visual aids used to enhance the presentation?
  • Adherence to Contest Rules: Is the video within the 5-minute time limit? Is the content original and does it adhere to the contest rules, including proper citations if necessary?

Submission Guidelines

  1. Upload your video to YouTube, Instagram or TikTok.
  2. Complete the R.E.E.L. Video Submission Form by October 14.

Key Dates

R.E.E.L. Live Event – University Research Week

Join us for our live, in-person event during University Research Week on Monday, October 21 at 3:00 pm at the Ackland Art Museum. We will screen the top three videos as selected by our panel of judges. Following the screenings, the video creators will participate in a panel discussion, answering questions from the audience about their work and their process. Finally, the audience will get to vote for their favorite video, with the winning entry announced and prizes awarded.

Please register for this event through Heel Life (students must register for CLE credit).  This is an in-person event.  

Questions?

Email sdss@unc.edu with any questions.