When Kevan MacKay won the inaugural Sloan Buzzies Award in 2025, he expected recognition for his work. What he didn't expect was to find a community.

An engineer turned full-time YouTube creator, Kevan MacKay is the voice behind BobbyBroccoli, the channel known for its deep dives into science scandals and controversies: from research fraud to the darker corners of scientific history. He tells these stories through beautifully crafted animated documentaries that blend rigorous research with accessible storytelling, proving that science content can be both educational and entertaining.

Ahead of Congress '26 in Tallinn, our Editorial Director Sara Ramsden sat down with MacKay to talk about what changed for him after Rio and what he'd tell other digital creators who aren't sure they belong in a room like that one.

Sara Ramsden: You've said the biggest prize wasn't the award itself. What was it?

"One of the more valuable things was attending the conference and getting a lot of connections with people, and really learning more about how the traditional film industry does it."

A place where creators belong

Like many digital-first creators, MacKay wasn't sure whether an event like the World Congress was really for someone like him.

"I frankly just would not have assumed that my videos were what the Congress was looking for," he admits.

That changed once he attended. Meeting producers, broadcasters and fellow storytellers from around the world helped him realise that digital creators and traditional factual filmmakers have far more in common than they often think.

"Being extended an invitation, having someone say, 'You're here to learn, and we're here to learn from you', fitting into that world is probably the most helpful thing."

SR: What surprised you most about how the two worlds, digital and broadcast, actually compare?

"YouTubers are their entire marketing department. They have to come up with the title, the thumbnail, all of that, even on top of all the actual production work."

It's a distinction that stuck with him as a reminder that the skills digital creators bring to the table aren't lesser than traditional production expertise, just different. As the boundaries between broadcast and digital storytelling continue to blur, exchanges like this one are exactly what Congress is designed to spark.

More than an award

Since Rio, MacKay has kept showing up to science and documentary events, to new conversations, to a community he didn't know he was missing. For a creator who spends most of his working life alone, that's no small thing.

"YouTube is kind of an isolating job. The conferences are especially helpful because it reminds me, 'Oh, I have a real job.'"

SR: If you could say one thing to a creator debating whether to apply, what would it be?

"Putting out open calls and saying, 'We want you,' is a big thing. I would not have applied unless my friend said, 'Hey, you should apply.'"

So consider this that nudge.

Your invitation to apply

If you're an independent science creator, a YouTuber, or part of a small digital-first team bringing science to audiences online, this is for you.

For 2026, the Sloan Buzzies winner will receive:

• A $10,000 USD cash prize
• A Buzzies trophy
• Full registration to Congress '26 in Tallinn, Estonia
• Travel and accommodation support
• Recognition at the Buzzies Awards Ceremony during Congress

Submissions for the 2026 Buzzies Awards are open until 14 August 2026.

And if the cash prize isn't your immediate goal, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation's Global Career Accelerator funds 2–3 places for emerging digital storytellers to attend Congress with accreditation, travel support, mentorship and direct access to the international factual media community.

Science storytelling doesn't stop at broadcast anymore, and neither does the World Congress.

Apply. Join the conversation. Help shape the future of factual storytelling.