Background of GEOSET

The Global Educational Outreach in Science, Engineering, and Technology (GEOSET) initiative was founded in 2006 by Nobel laureate Sir Harold Kroto to facilitate the creation and sharing of educational science videos. Sir Harry believed passionately in the dissemination of complex scientific ideas through accessible means. GEOSET was the means to accomplish this, allowing researchers to quickly communicate scientific information to a range of students in primary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions.

The original GEOSET website, built upon a MediaSite video hosting backend, allowed researchers to record and upload their lectures through a quick and seamless system. Instructors from all over the world were then able to access this free, educational content and share it directly with their students. Now defunct, the original GEOSET website stands as a testament to Sir Harry's vision of a world connected by internet-based information sharing systems, something he coined the "Goo-You-Wiki" world.

Opening of GEOSET Studio

The full-service GEOSET Studio at Dirac Science Library was opened by Bill Nye (the Science Guy) to further support the all levels of scholars at Florida State University. Recording lectures, developing grant application videos, and documenting scientific research were all common uses of the new grant-funded studio. Originally based around a news desk and fixed camera setup, GEOSET Studio has evolved into a flexible space that supports a variety of production needs.

Direction under Steve Acquah

A former student and longtime colleague of Sir Harry, Dr. Acquah continued Sir Harry's vision of providing diverse multimedia services to the FSU community. Under his tenure, GEOSET led K-12 workshops in the Tallahassee community, partnered with Starbucks to increase student engagement on campus, and initiated the GEOSET Awards for excellence in scientific communication.

Expanded Media Services

From 2018-2021, GEOSET Studio increased its media services offerings. With project consultation and training services for students, staff, and faculty, GEOSET Studio served as the center for scientific video communication within the greater FSU community. Facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, GEOSET also began providing live streaming and event recording services to campus partners. During this time, staff presence increased to keep up with greater demand and growing services.

Present

After a hiatus in late 2021, GEOSET is fully functional once more. Today we offer media production consultations, software training and workshops, two professional recording spaces, and even more services.