To promote science and increase participation, we need to start by meeting students where they are. Social media, used overwhelmingly by Gen Z students, has emerged as a powerful tool to learn about, and engage with, their culture and social concerns (Fig. 1). It provides students the autonomy to educate themselves in an environment outside the standard academic setting — removing the barriers that have alienated many with minoritized identities and alternative learning styles from participating in STEM. Interactive videos with strong connections to their lived experiences are highly desired by this generation. On social media, educators can capitalize on this learning style, delivering relevant scientific material quickly, in a personalized, relatable way without losing detail.

Social media facilitates deeper connections through shared interests such as dance.

While it seems like a challenging task, there are many educators who already use social media platforms such as TikTok to great effect. Science communicator Hank Green (hankgreen1) breaks down scientific concepts to a general audience, captivating the minds of future scientists and piquing the interest of anyone who comes across his videos. His use of humour and current issues as vehicles for scientific discussion keeps science relevant and at the forefront of his audience’s mind. Chemistry professor Kim Hilton (chemicalkim) draws people in with eye-popping demonstrations that transition into powerful chemistry lessons. Inna Kanevsky (dr_inna), a psychology professor, counters misinformation presented by other creators (with her unique brand of sass) with journal articles that provide accurate information on the topic. Joel Bervell (joelbervell), a medical student, uses his platform to educate his audience about medicine through the lens of the black patient experience, highlighting racial biases in the US medical system and inspiring future black medical doctors. Away from the social conventions of STEM culture, social media allows avant-garde creators to play with the power of absurdity by juxtaposing scientific ideas with cultural satire (see content by itsdimpey and adrianbliss). These creators have harnessed their unique perspectives to develop novel approaches to educating the younger generation by fusing scientific learning with humour, art, commentaries on race and human social dynamics, many of which run counter to the objective scientific culture but are effective at breaking down the barriers to participation.