Destin Wilson Sandlin (born September 17, 1981) is an American

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...

and

science communicator Science communication is the practice of informing, educating, raising awareness of science-related topics, and increasing the sense of wonder about scientific discoveries and arguments. Science communicators and audiences are ambiguously def ...

who produces the video series ''Smarter Every Day'' on his

YouTube channel YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second most ...

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. In early 2016, Sandlin was one of three

YouTube personalities YouTubers are people mostly known for their work on the video sharing platform YouTube. The following is a list of YouTubers for whom Wikipedia has articles either under their own name or their YouTube channel name. This list excludes people who ...

chosen to conduct a one-on-one interview with then-president

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

after his final State of the Union address.

Background

Sandlin has a BS in

mechanical engineering Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science, to design, analyze, manufacture, ...

from the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and largest of the publi ...

and an MS in

aerospace engineering Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is s ...

from the

University of Alabama in Huntsville The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is a public research university in Huntsville, Alabama. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and comprises nine colleges: arts, humanities & social science ...

. While an undergraduate, he was awarded the University of Alabama's Outstanding Senior Award. He also minored in Business Administration while at the University of Alabama. Sandlin was, until late 2018, a full-time Missile Flight

Test Engineer A test engineer is a professional who determines how to create a process that would best test a particular product in manufacturing and related disciplines, in order to assure that the product meets applicable specifications. Test engineers are als ...

Redstone Arsenal Redstone Arsenal (RSA) is a United States Army post and a census-designated place (CDP) adjacent to Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama, United States and is part of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The Arsenal is a garriso ...

. He is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Alabama Huntsville advised by Kavan Hazeli.

YouTube channels and podcast

''Smarter Every Day''

Sandlin began posting educational videos in 2007. His first video reached one million views on July 10, 2009. Sandlin formally launched the ''Smarter Every Day'' series on April 24, 2011, with a video titled "Detonation vs Deflagration - Smarter Every Day 1," which became the title format for subsequent videos and the sole focus of his YouTube channel. 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 Hypoxia means a lower than normal level of oxygen, and may refer to: Reduced or insufficient oxygen * Hypoxia (environmental), abnormally low oxygen content of the specific environment * Hypoxia (medical), abnormally low level of oxygen in the tis ...

on the human brain, the Prince Rupert's drop, the physics of potato guns, the usefulness of

snatch block A block and tackle or only tackle is a system of two or more pulleys with a rope or cable threaded between them, usually used to lift heavy loads. The pulleys are assembled to form blocks and then blocks are paired so that one is fixed and one ...

s, and a nearly-impossible to ride bicycle whose wheel steers in the opposite direction of its handle bars.

''No Dumb Questions''

In 2017, Sandlin began a podcast with his best friend from Wyoming, Matt Whitman. Whitman also runs the YouTube channel ''The Ten Minute Bible Hour''.

Personal life

Sandlin was born and raised in

Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville is a city in Madison County, Limestone County, and Morgan County, Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Madison County. Located in the Appalachian region of northern Alabama, Huntsville is the most populous city in th ...

, and currently lives there with his wife Tara, their two daughters, and two sons. Destin and Tara formerly lived in nearby Cullman. 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. Sandlin is an avid fan of the

. Sandlin is a devout

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...

. Sandlin spoke at the 2015

Skepticon Skepticon is a skeptic and secular convention held in the United States. Guest speakers are invited to discuss skepticism, science, education, activism, and other related topics. This free event is sponsored by American Atheists and the Ameri ...

on his personal reconciliation of the search for scientific truth with his faith.

References

External links

* *
No Dumb Questions
the podcast Sandlin co-hosts with Matt Whitman {{DEFAULTSORT:Sandlin, Destin 1981 births 21st-century American engineers American Christians American podcasters American YouTubers Articles containing video clips Living people Online edutainment People from Huntsville, Alabama Science communicators University of Alabama alumni University of Alabama in Huntsville alumni