"The Ask Dr. Universe video series is a partnership between Washington State University’s central marketing and communication department and regional PBS station, Northwest Public Broadcasting. Dr. Universe is a fictional feline who answers science questions from kids ages 8-12 and aims to inspire young audiences’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and math. In this video, Dr. Universe explores the question, "Can you hear in space?"
The video interstitials are 1-minute long and run between regularly scheduled programming on PBS Kids in eastern Washington state and are available to other regional PBS stations through PBS Source. The short videos connect families across the state with the university and serve as a marketing and outreach tool that drives traffic to the Ask Dr. Universe website, AskDrUniverse.wsu.edu, where kids can find more science Q&As and ask their own questions.
Since the video series began in 2018, we have produced 19 Q&A videos in-house. "Can you hear in space?" initially aired on Northwest Public Broadcasting on February 5, 2021. The series is coordinated by Greg Mills, McKayla Fox, and Rachel Webber, who also produced "Can you hear in space?""
From the Judges
Judges enjoyed this use of animation in a fun and creative outreach to children. Great information and engaging. A good example of considering how to connect with future constituents.
