Steve Spangler | |
|---|---|
 Spangler in 2019 | |
| Born | December 8, 1966 Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Television personality Author Science teacher |
| Known for | Television host DIY Sci YouTube personality |
| Website | https://stevespangler.com/ |
Steve Spangler (born December 8, 1966) is an American television personality, author and STEM teacher.[1] Steve served as the CEO of Steve Spangler Science until 2018 when the company was sold to Really Good Stuff, LLC, a division of Excelligence Learning Corporation.[2][3] Spangler posted the first Diet Coke and Mentos video on YouTube in September 2005 and his 2002 televised demonstration of the eruption went viral, launching a chain of several other Diet Coke and Mentos experiment viral videos.[4][5] He earned two Heartland Emmy Awards and a total of five Emmy nominations. Spangler is an inductee of the National Speakers Association Speaker Hall of Fame.[6][7][8]
Spangler's career began as a science teacher in the Cherry Creek School District in Colorado.[9]
In 1992, Spangler began working as an adjunct faculty member at the Regis University in the Department of Chemistry.[10] He served as the Executive Director of the National Hands-on Science Institute until 2001.[10]
During his first year of teaching, a producer from the Denver, Colorado NBC affiliate KCNC-TV offered Spangler a position as a science host on News for Kids[9] after seeing him perform a science demonstration show at a public event.[9] News for Kids premiered in 1991 and was picked up for national syndication in 1993, airing in 185 cities every Saturday morning.[9] After six seasons, Spangler produced 220 segments that featured simple science experiments that viewers could easily recreate at home.
In 2001, Spangler joined the Denver NBC affiliate, KUSA-TV 9NEWS as their Science Education Contributor.[5][11]
The Diet Coke and Mentos eruption experiment was first televised by Spangler in 2002 and became popular on the Internet in 2005.[5] More than a thousand videos appeared online replicating the experiment.[5] Spangler was nominated for the Time 100 in 2007 because of the experiment.[4] He signed a licensing agreement with Perfetti Van Melle, the maker of MENTOS, in 2006 and developed a line of toys to be used with the experiment.[1][11][12]
Spangler is the author of seven books: Down to a Science, Taming the Tornado Tube, Bounce No Bounce, Fizz Factor, Secret Science, Naked Eggs and Flying Potatoes, Fire Bubbles and Exploding Toothpaste.[13]
Spangler also runs the Sick Science! YouTube channel[14] and a TikTok account.[15]
Spangler received a Heartland Emmy Award in 1997 for his contribution the television program News for Kids. In 2010, he received a Heartland Emmy Award for Spangler Science - Weather and Science Day at Coors Field.[6][8] Spangler also received a Guinness World Record for the largest physics lesson.[16]
Spangler was inducted into the National Speakers Association's Speaker Hall of Fame in 2010.[17]
In October 2011, Spangler was selected as one of 100 initial partners[18] for the YouTube Original Channel Initiative and received funding for the production of new original programming.[19] Spangler's YouTube show, The Spangler Effect, debuted February 1, 2012.[20][21]
Steve Spangler was born on December 8, 1966, in Denver, Colorado. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a dual degree in chemistry and humanities in 1989.[13][22] Spangler has three sons.[23]