Summary

Recruitment is officially underway for a national coastal protection-themed video competition hosted by Dr. Jingya Wang, a postdoctoral researcher in the CHEER Hub at the University of Delaware.

Eligibility

All participants must be enrolled in a part-time or full-time two- or four-year college undergraduate or graduate program in the United States. Postdoctoral researchers are also invited to participate. No video production experience is required. Participants may enter as a team or individually. Groups must designate a team leader who will serve as the point of contact throughout the competition.

Register for the competition here. Only team leaders should submit this form on behalf of their group.

Competition Themes

Submissions should focus on research projects or topics related to coastal themes, including but not limited to:

• Hurricane risk
• Decision-making under uncertainty, such as sea-level rise
• Ocean biology related to coastal resilience
• Climate change impacts on coastal regions

Whether submitted videos portray how our coasts are affected by sea level rise or interviews with weather and climate experts, judges are looking for creativity and surprising perspectives. Participants are encouraged to consider social, political, and economic factors that influence the way people interact with and are affected by coastal hazards.

Submission Requirements 

Participants will create a two- to three-minute video that clearly and creatively explains a research project or topic of interest. Participants should upload their videos as “Unlisted” to YouTube and submit the link via this Google Form for review. See this page for more information on uploading your video to YouTube.

• Artificial intelligence (AI) tools may be used for supporting elements, such as basic animations or enhancing graphics, but are not allowed to create primary visual content. If you choose to use AI tools, please include a disclosure explaining how they were utilized in your submission.
• Voiceovers are allowed but must be narrated by a participant.
• Use only legally licensed music and images. Avoid copyrighted material and consider royalty-free options.

Training and Incentives

The video competition will kick off in March 2025 with a series of optional free webinars related to video production for those wanting to know more about science communication, digital storytelling techniques, and technical editing. Use this form to register for up to two of the workshops.

• Guest Speaker Workshop. Join this workshop to discover essential digital storytelling techniques and learn how to craft compelling, high-quality videos. Amanda McCollom, a multimedia literacy librarian, and Jess Barth, an emerging multimedia technologies librarian from the University of Delaware, will lead this virtual session on Thursday, March 13, 2025 from 2 to 4 PM EST. 
• Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University. We will have two three-hour online sessions of the Science Communication Professional Development Program (The Essentials) from the Alan Alda Center on March 20 and March 27, 2025, at 2 PM EST. This prestigious program helps researchers communicate complex ideas to diverse audiences. Participants are encouraged to register quickly, as spots are limited and on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

Applicants can apply for a limited number of grants to support and enhance their science communication endeavors. Only team leaders should apply for these grants – as each group is only eligible for one of each – and will be responsible for distributing funds among their team members.

• Production Support Grants. Participants with limited funding, lack of access to video production equipment or software, or insufficient technical resources may receive a production support grant. These funds are intended to ensure that all taking part in the competition have the opportunity to fully engage in the program and create high-quality videos. Those interested in applying should complete this Google Form on March 31, 2025 by 11:59 EST. Grant recipients will be notified via email by April 7, 2025.
• Travel Grants. Each participant will be automatically entered to receive a travel grant of up to $1500 to support their travel to a conference where they will present their video. A limited number of participants will be selected based on the quality of their submissions.
• Early Submission Incentives. The first 50 participants to submit their video will receive a $50 gift card. 

Judging 

Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of six judges, whose backgrounds include expertise in ocean science, climate change, coastal protection, and communication and storytelling. Videos will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Clarity of Communication (25%)

• • Is the message easy to understand for a broad audience?
  • Does the video engage viewers and maintain their attention?
  • Is the content presented in a clear, structured, and coherent manner?

• Quality of Video Production (25%)

1. • Does the video have high visual and sound quality?
   • Are the images, graphics, and audio effectively integrated to support the message?
   • Is the video well-edited with smooth transitions and of professional quality?

• Relevance to Coastal Protection Issues (25%)

• • Does the video address important challenges related to coastal protection?
  • Is the research closely aligned with current or future environmental needs in coastal regions?
  • How well does the video demonstrate the context and significance of the topic for real-world coastal protection?

• Potential Impact (25%)

1. • Does the research or subject matter have practical applications that can make a real-world difference?
   • What is the potential long-term impact of this research on coastal protection and related fields?
   • How likely is it that the research will inspire action or support decision-making in coastal protection policies or practices?

Video Competition Schedule

Final submissions are due on April 30, 2025 by 11:59 PM. Winners will be announced on Friday, May 16, 2025.

March 2025: Training Sessions and Workshops (Registration Form)

• March 13: Guest Speaker Workshop – Digital Storytelling and Video Production
• March 20: Alan Alda Science Communication Professional Development Program – The Essentials (Session 1)
• March 27: Alan Alda Science Communication Professional Development Program – The Essentials (Session 1)

April 2025: Submission Deadline and Judging

• April 30: Final submissions are due on April 30, 2025 by 11:59 PM.

May 2025: Winners Announced

• May 16: Winners will be announced on Friday, May 16, 2025. All submissions will be added to a public playlist on YouTube for the public to view. They will also be posted on the CHEER Hub’s “News” page.

June 2025: Sustainability Research and Innovation (SRI) Congress

• June 16-19: Travel grant recipients are encouraged to attend the 2025 Sustainability Research and Innovation (SRI) Congress in Chicago.

 

This event is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the Every Page Foundation. Stay tuned for more information and details about submissions. Send additional questions to cheer-hub@udel.edu.