Destin Sandlin

American engineer, science communicator, and YouTuber

  • SmarterEveryDay
Years active2006–presentGenreEducationalSubscribers11.3 million[3]Total views1.15 billion[3]Associated acts
  • Brady Haran
  • CGP Grey
  • Mark Rober
  • MinutePhysics
  • Steve Mould
  • Veritasium
Creator Awards
100,000 subscribers
1,000,000 subscribers
10,000,000 subscribers
Last updated: October 27, 2023

Destin Wilson Sandlin[1] (born September 17, 1981) is an American engineer and science communicator who produces the video series Smarter Every Day[4][5] on his YouTube channel of the same name, which was launched in 2007. Sandlin also runs the YouTube channels The Sound Traveler, Smarter Every Day 2, and a podcast called No Dumb Questions with his friend Matt Whitman.[6]

In early 2016, Sandlin was one of three YouTube personalities chosen to conduct a one-on-one interview with then-president Barack Obama[7] after his final State of the Union address.[8]

Background

Destin Wilson Sandlin was born September 17, 1981, in Huntsville, Alabama, to Darryl and Teri Sandlin. He was raised in nearby Morgan County, and attended Hartselle High School.[9] Sandlin has a BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Alabama and an MS in aerospace engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville.[1][10] While an undergraduate, he was awarded the University of Alabama's Outstanding Senior Award.[1] He also minored in Business Administration while at the University of Alabama.[11] Sandlin was, until late 2018, a full-time Missile Flight Test Engineer at Redstone Arsenal.[12][13] He is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Alabama Huntsville advised by Kavan Hazeli.[14][needs update]

YouTube channels and podcast

Sandlin's interview with President Obama

Smarter Every Day

Sandlin at Skepticon in November 2015.

Sandlin began posting educational videos in 2007.[15] His first video reached one million views on July 10, 2009.[15]

Sandlin formally launched the Smarter Every Day series on April 24, 2011, with a video titled "Detonation vs Deflagration - Smarter Every Day 1,"[16] which became the title format for subsequent videos and the sole focus of his YouTube channel.[citation needed] Episodes of Smarter Every Day feature Sandlin as the host and narrator, and revolve around scientific exploration and discovery. Sandlin's primary interest and educational background is in flight and space, which appear frequently in his videos. Other notable topics have included the submarine USS Toledo (SSN-769), the effects of hypoxia on the human brain, the Prince Rupert's drop, the physics of potato guns, the usefulness of snatch blocks, and a nearly-impossible to ride bicycle whose wheel steers in the opposite direction of its handle bars.[17]

No Dumb Questions

In 2017, Sandlin began a podcast with his best friend from Wyoming, Matt Whitman, who runs his own YouTube channel about the Bible and Christianity.[6] [18]

Personal life

Sandlin was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama,[19] and currently lives there with his wife Tara, their two daughters, and two sons.[20][21] Destin and Tara previously lived in nearby Cullman.[20]

Sandlin's family often appears in his videos. Since 2012, Sandlin has supported and partnered with "Not Forgotten", a charity that cares for orphaned boys in Peru.[22][23][24]

Sandlin is an avid fan of the University of Alabama.[25]

Sandlin is a devout Christian.[26] Sandlin spoke at the 2015 Skepticon on his personal reconciliation of the search for scientific truth with his faith.[27]

Sandlin is an amateur radio operator with the callsign WS4RKT.[28]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Capstone Engineer (Fall 2003)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 7, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
  2. ^ "SmarterEveryDay". YouTube. Archived from the original on January 5, 2015.
  3. ^ a b "About SmarterEveryDay". YouTube.
  4. ^ "Huntsville engineer's YouTube channel, 'Smarter Every Day,' in running for best entertaining, educational videos". AL.com. July 15, 2011. Archived from the original on September 14, 2014.
  5. ^ ""Smarter Every Day" teaches science lesson by blowing things up". cbsnews.com. April 25, 2011. Archived from the original on September 14, 2014.
  6. ^ a b "No Dumb Questions". iTunes. February 14, 2017. Archived from the original on February 15, 2017.
  7. ^ Martin, Rachel (January 17, 2016). "YouTube Star Talks Space With President Obama". NPR. Archived from the original on January 31, 2016.
  8. ^ P. Claire Dodson (January 12, 2016). "Meet The YouTubers Interviewing President Obama After The State Of The Union Address". Fast Company. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016.
  9. ^ The Secret Power of Your High School Yearbook - Smarter Every Day 284, retrieved March 31, 2023
  10. ^ "UAH - News". uah.edu. March 31, 2014. Archived from the original on January 8, 2015.
  11. ^ "Q&A with Destin - Smarter Every Day 148". YouTube.
  12. ^ "Huntsville missile engineer in YouTube spotlight for Smarter Every Day channel". AL.com. July 28, 2011. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014.
  13. ^ "Test engineer making people Smarter Every Day". The Redstone Rocket.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ "Dr. Kavan Hazeli's lab group as of December 29, 2018". Archived from the original on December 29, 2018. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
  15. ^ a b Sandlin, Destin. "Chicken Head Tracking - Smarter Every Day". YouTube. Archived from the original on January 6, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
  16. ^ Sandlin, Destin. "Detonation vs Deflagration - Smarter Every Day 1". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 16, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
  17. ^ "The Backwards Brain Bicycle - Smarter Every Day 133". YouTube. Archived from the original on May 2, 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  18. ^ Whitman, Matt. "Matt Whitman". YouTube. Archived from the original on October 17, 2019. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  19. ^ 'Smarter Every Day' host Destin Sandlin to interview President Obama | Tech Alabama | waaytv.com[permanent dead link] Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  20. ^ a b "Marriage Advice - Smarter Every Day 181 - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  21. ^ Sandlin, Destin. "WE HAD A BABY!! - Smarter Every Day 132". YouTube. Archived from the original on April 4, 2015. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  22. ^ Sandlin, Destin. "OPERATION LEVERAGE - Not Forgotten - Smarter Every Day 74". YouTube. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  23. ^ "Not Forgotten". Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  24. ^ "Our Response | Not Forgotten". Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  25. ^ "Roll Tide - NASA style - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  26. ^ Belew, Duncan. "Interview with a Rocket Scientist and YouTube Science Educator". Where were you when you were twenty-four?. Archived from the original on January 6, 2015. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  27. ^ Broaddus, Galen (December 1, 2015). "Riding the Backwards Bike: A Christian at Skepticon". Patheos. Archived from the original on January 13, 2019. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  28. ^ "WS4RKT Callsign Page".

External links

  • Destin Sandlin on Twitter Edit this at Wikidata
  • Smarter Every Day's channel on YouTube
  • No Dumb Questions, the podcast Sandlin co-hosts with Matt Whitman