ThinkerCon to bring global online content creators to Huntsville
HUNTSVILLE — This weekend, the public will have a unique opportunity to meet and mingle with leading educational content creators from across the globe.
Huntsville native and Smarter Every Day host Destin Sandlin is partnering with dozens of other educational content creators to host the first-ever ThinkerCon event, which will be held at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m.
ThinkerCon is an opportunity for the public to engage with leading educational content creators from across the globe in a hands-on experience to include panel discussions, science demonstrations, live music, a showing of Festival of the Spoken Nerd and much more.
Sandlin, a local Aerospace Engineer, has been producing educational content for more than 10 years, resulting in a YouTube following of more than 6 million subscribers. He is also globally recognized and has been part of a one-on-one interview with former President Barack Obama.
“Several of us who make ‘thinky’ content online realized that the true power of the internet lies in bringing people together to learn cool stuff,” Sandlin said. “Never before in history have we had so much access to things we want to learn. Whether you’re trying to fix your fridge, or if you need to learn calculus, there’s a creator online teaching these skills, which is accessible anywhere, at anytime. ThinkerCon was born out of the desire to promote these creators. YouTube’s emphasis around online education made supporting ThinkerCon a perfect fit, and we’re thrilled to have them on board and host this event in Huntsville.”
YouTube recently announced the launch of YouTube Learning, a $20 million initiative to support those who create content on YouTube, as well as those who use their platform to learn. This includes funding to support educational creators, partnering with trusted institutions such as Goodwill and Year Up and expanding resources given toward EduCons, which are YouTube-sponsored conferences that bring together online educators for assistance and growth support.
“We’re thrilled to support ThinkerCon and the educational creators gathering here in Huntsville to network and learn from one another,” said Malik Ducard, YouTube’s Global Head of Learning, Social Impact, Family, Film and TV. “This event is further proof of something we’ve known for a long time—these educational creators are as inspiring, engaging and fun as the great videos they post.”
ThinkerCon is the first of its kind, where creators who are passionate about online education are encouraged to join forces, share best practices and learn new ways to innovate. In addition, the event is open to the public, though advanced ticket purchase is required. By inviting the public, ThinkerCon aims to help highlight the importance of continued education while create an opportunity for fans to meet and greet their favorite online influencers.
Leading online educators that will attend ThinkerCon in Huntsville will be representing countries such as Brazil, Australia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Spain and Germany, just to name a few.
Tickets for the individual sessions are now sold out, but sponsorships are available. For more information on ThinkerCon or to see who is attending, visit thinkercon.com. For more information on YouTube Learning, visit YouTube’s Official Blog.
The U.S. Space and Rocket Center is located at 1 Tranquility Base in Huntsville.
