Streaming for Science: A Grassroots Approach

By the time I finished my Master’s in 2018, I realized that I had a passion for helping other scientists achieve their goals. While I enjoy doing research myself, I’ve found that I can have a much greater impact by leveraging my technical skills to create resources that are easy to use, well-maintained, and genuinely useful for conservation and ecology. Over the last several years, I’ve been very fortunate to have friends and colleagues who not only support this vision, but who’ve actively contributed to it through both direct and indirect support.

Unfortunately, it’s challenging to be in a position where I’m entirely reliant on collaborators to lead grant applications for narrowly defined tools, where my full-time work hinges on the success of a single proposal. That’s a very different situation from something like leading a research group, where it’s common to apply for multiple grants and expect only a few to succeed. I’ve been stuck in a cycle of grant-writing limbo where I’m reliant on collaborators (who understandably have other priorities), submitting a proposal, waiting months for a response, and more often than not, receiving a rejection. In the meantime, I still need to find other ways to stay financially afloat, but without committing to anything long-term in the hope that the grant comes through.

That’s where streaming comes in. While Twitch is best known for gaming content, it has grown into a platform that supports all kinds of creators. Many people have found success there streaming other types of content, including software development and science communication (including for conservation). I believe it can also support people like me who want to build tools and share knowledge that helps scientists. Streaming could be a way to build grassroots support for the type of work I want to do for ecology and conservation. It would not only be more direct and open, but also more flexible, allowing me to pivot based on the needs of those who rely on my work and to explore new ideas more freely.

My plan is to start simple. Once a week on Fridays I will try to stream for at least 4 hours. I will use that time to work on a project live. Anyone interested can join my chat, hang out, and ask questions about the things I work on.