# Dianna Cowern

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American science communicator (born 1989)

Dianna Cowern Cowern in August 2021 Born (1989-05-04) May 4, 1989 (age 37) Education Massachusetts Institute of Technology (SB)[1][2] Occupation Science communicator YouTube information Channel Physics Girl Years active 2011–present Genre Science education Subscribers 3.48 million Views 525 million Last updated: March 3, 2026 Website physicsgirl.org

**Dianna Cowern** (born May 4, 1989) is an American [science communicator](/source/Science_communicator) and physicist, who has run the YouTube channel ***Physics Girl*** since its inception in 2011. Her videos explain physical phenomena in everyday life, using an informal, fast-paced style. The series was produced in partnership with the [PBS Digital Studios](/source/PBS_Digital_Studios) from 2015 until 2020.

Cowern started *Physics Girl* in 2011 after graduating with a bachelor's degree in physics from the [Massachusetts Institute of Technology](/source/Massachusetts_Institute_of_Technology). After winning a 2014 video competition from the [Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science](/source/Alan_Alda_Center_for_Communicating_Science), the series started being produced by PBS Digital Studios, whereupon she began working on content creation full-time. Cowern won Best Web Personality at the [2018 Webby Awards](/source/2018_Webby_Awards) and was included in the 2019 [Forbes 30 under 30](/source/Forbes_30_under_30). She developed [long COVID](/source/Long_COVID) in July 2022, becoming housebound and unable to produce videos until 2026.

## Early life and education

Dianna Cowern was born on May 4, 1989, and raised on [Kauai](/source/Kauai) island in Hawaii.[1] Her father was a [tree farmer](/source/Tree_plantation) and her mother ran a [bed and breakfast](/source/Bed_and_breakfast).[dc 1] Through most of her early education, Cowern was fascinated by [mathematics](/source/Mathematics).[dc 1] She attended the [Island School](/source/Island_School_(Hawaii))[dc 2]: a K-12 private school that had eighty students in her high school class, and has credited her two physics teachers with sparking her interest in the subject.[1][3][4] During this time, she was inspired by [Neil deGrasse Tyson](/source/Neil_deGrasse_Tyson) and became interested in [science communication](/source/Science_communication).[5] In her junior year, Cowern was named a Commended Student in the 2007 [National Merit Scholarship Program](/source/National_Merit_Scholarship_Program).[6]

Cowern studied physics at the [Massachusetts Institute of Technology](/source/Massachusetts_Institute_of_Technology) (MIT), graduating in 2011 with a [Bachelor of Science](/source/Bachelor_of_Science).[5] While at MIT, she researched [dark matter](/source/Dark_matter) under [Jocelyn Monroe](/source/Jocelyn_Monroe). After graduation, Cowern was a research fellow at the [Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics](/source/Harvard%E2%80%93Smithsonian_Center_for_Astrophysics), where she researched [low-metallicity](/source/Metallicity) stars under [Anna Frebel](/source/Anna_Frebel).[7][8] After her fellowship, she moved to [San Diego](/source/San_Diego).[9]

## Career

The logo of the *Physics Girl* YouTube channel

Cowern started her [YouTube](/source/YouTube) channel on October 21, 2011.[dc 3] Her first video, "What to do with a physics degree...", was made shortly after she finished college.[9] Cowern made it as a joke for friends, but it got more views than she expected.[3][4] As her videos gained viewers, she renamed her channel *Physics Girl* and shifted toward teaching physics concepts.[9] When Cowern started making videos, she worked as an [iPad](/source/IPad) app developer at [General Electric](/source/General_Electric_Company).[8][10] She then worked as an educator at [Fleet Science Center](/source/Fleet_Science_Center)[9] and the outreach coordinator at [University of California at San Diego](/source/University_of_California_at_San_Diego)'s [Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences](/source/Center_for_Astrophysics_and_Space_Sciences) research unit.[1]

In 2014, Cowern won the top video prize in the Flame Challenge from the [Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science](/source/Alan_Alda_Center_for_Communicating_Science) at [Stony Brook University](/source/Stony_Brook_University). The competition, which had the topic "What is color?", was judged by fifth-grade students.[1][11][12] Her channel became popular around this time; in the following months, she had some [viral videos](/source/Viral_video) and collaborated with YouTubers such as [Veritasium](/source/Veritasium).[2] A December 2014 video explaining [fluid dynamics](/source/Fluid_dynamics) by creating a [vortex](/source/Vortex) in a swimming pool was her first to get five million views.[12][10] After news coverage of Cowern winning the Flame Challenge, she was contacted by [PBS Digital Studios](/source/PBS_Digital_Studios).[10] The studio began producing *Physics Girl* in 2015, when the channel had about 35 videos and 125 thousand subscribers. The channel became Cowern's full-time job.[13] That year, she participated in a conference organized by the [U.S. News & World Report](/source/U.S._News_%26_World_Report) in San Diego.[7][11]

Cowern during [Vidcon](/source/Vidcon) 2018

By 2017, PBS Digital Studios produced thirty-two *Physics Girl* videos per year.[5][14] The channel featured [ArcAttack](/source/ArcAttack) in a 2016 video about [electromagnets](/source/Electromagnet)[15] and [Rodney Mullen](/source/Rodney_Mullen) in a 2018 video about [axes of rotation](/source/Axes_of_rotation) in [skateboarding tricks](/source/Skateboarding_trick).[16] In 2019, Cowern hosted the 2019 [Google Science Fair](/source/Google_Science_Fair).[17] On September 25, 2020, Cowern announced that her channel was ending its partnership with the PBS.[dc 4] A 2021 series of *Physics Girl* videos, sponsored by [Toyota](/source/Toyota), demonstrated a [hydrogen fuel cell car](/source/Hydrogen_fuel_cell_car) and discussed [renewable energy](/source/Renewable_energy). By 2022, she was one of the most-subscribed science communicators on YouTube.[18]

## Channel style

*Physics Girl* is about physical phenomena in everyday life.[9][3] The videos have an eccentric, informal style.[4] The channel has covered topics including [curveballs](/source/Curveball) and creating a cloud with one's mouth, as well as higher-level physics concepts.[3][7][9] It also has an [AP Physics](/source/AP_Physics) exam review series.[18] Cowern's videos are edited with frequent [jump cuts](/source/Jump_cut);[19] she told *[Nature](/source/Nature_(journal))* in 2018 that her videos took up to a week to make and that she made fast-paced videos because viewers "can click away at any moment."[13]

Cowern has said her goals are to give children an interest in physics and to show underrepresented groups such as [women in science](/source/Women_in_science).[7][9] According to media scholar Nicholas Qyll, Cowern is part of "a new generation of self-confident scientists who use entertaining communication of scientific topics on social media to reach and give lasting inspiration to an increasingly large audience".[20]

## Awards and honors

In 2018, Cowern won a [Webby Award](/source/Webby_Award) for Best Web Personality.[21] The following year, she was listed in [Forbes 30 under 30](/source/Forbes_30_under_30) in the category of education.[9][22] On March 17, 2025, the [International Astronomical Union](/source/International_Astronomical_Union) named the asteroid [21943 Diannacowern](/source/21943_Diannacowern), previously designated as 1999 VG114, in recognition of her contributions to science communication.[23]

## Personal life

In May 2022, Cowern announced that she had recently married Kyle Kitzmiller.[dc 5] In July 2022, Cowern developed [long COVID](/source/Long_COVID).[dc 6] She was hospitalized in March 2023 as her symptoms, similar to [myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome](/source/Myalgic_encephalomyelitis%2Fchronic_fatigue_syndrome), continued to worsen.[dc 7][dc 6] She became unable to move and stayed at home, with her husband as her caretaker.[dc 8] Cowern's sister created a donation fund.[24] In a January 2025 YouTube video, Cowern said that she is able to stand on her own for short periods of time.[dc 9] In May 2025, she posted an update to her channel, indicating that she had improved significantly and was able to walk independently.[dc 10] From July to September 2025, her health had declined, leading to her being bedridden again.[dc 11] As of January 2026, she has improved somewhat, and has again become able to produce science videos[dc 12] with her first video in three years published in March 2026.[25]

## References

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1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Lanning_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Lanning_2-1) Lanning, Carly (March 18, 2015). ["YouTube's Physics Girl is science-loving superhero"](http://www.dailydot.com/upstream/physics-girl-youtube-wcw/). *[The Daily Dot](/source/The_Daily_Dot)*.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Weisberger_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Weisberger_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Weisberger_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Weisberger_5-3) Weisberger, Mindy (August 18, 2016). ["YouTube's 'Physics Girl' Delivers on Fun and Science"](https://www.livescience.com/55810-youtube-physics-girl.html). *[Live Science](/source/Live_Science)*. Retrieved April 11, 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Manaster_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Manaster_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Manaster_6-2) Manaster, Joanne (June 9, 2014). ["Meet 'The Physics Girl' Winner of Alan Alda's 'What is Color?' Video Contest"](https://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/psi-vid/meet-the-physics-girl-winner-of-alan-alda-s-what-is-color-video-contest/). *[Scientific American](/source/Scientific_American)*. Retrieved April 11, 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_7-2) ["Meet Physics Girl, the YouTuber who makes a living explaining science"](https://www.science.org/content/article/meet-physics-girl-youtuber-who-makes-living-explaining-science). *Science | AAAS*. March 16, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Island School student recognized by National Merit Scholarship Program"](https://www.thegardenisland.com/2006/09/29/news/island-school-student-recognized-by-national-merit-scholarship-program/). *[The Garden Island](/source/The_Garden_Island)*. Lihue, Hawaii, U.S. September 29, 2006.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Bidwell_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Bidwell_9-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Bidwell_9-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Bidwell_9-3) Bidwell, Allie (August 4, 2015). ["'Physics Girl' Tells How She Makes Kids Love STEM"](https://www.usnews.com/news/stem-solutions/articles/2015/08/04/physics-girl-dianna-cowern-tells-how-she-makes-kids-love-stem). *[U.S. News and World Report](/source/U.S._News_and_World_Report)*. Retrieved April 11, 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_10-1) PBS Education (October 26, 2019). ["Why Being Held Back Was the Push Forward I Needed"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170217042201/https://www.pbs.org/education/blog/why-being-held-back-was-the-push-forward-i-needed). *PBS Education*. Archived from [the original](https://www.pbs.org/education/blog/why-being-held-back-was-the-push-forward-i-needed) on February 17, 2017.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Fox_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Fox_11-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Fox_11-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Fox_11-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Fox_11-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Fox_11-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-Fox_11-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-Fox_11-7) Fox, Julie (June 26, 2019). ["Dianna Cowern '11"](https://www.technologyreview.com/2019/06/26/134698/dianna-cowern-11/). *[MIT Technology Review](/source/MIT_Technology_Review)*. Retrieved April 11, 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Morehead_13-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Morehead_13-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Morehead_13-2) Morehead, James (August 16, 2016). ["YouTuber and Physicist Dianna Cowern on Creating Physics Girl"](https://onedublin.org/2016/08/16/youtuber-and-physicist-dianna-cowern-on-creating-physics-girl/). *OneDublin.org*. Retrieved April 11, 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Jensen_14-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Jensen_14-1) Jensen, Nels (June 22, 2015). "She Breaks First Law of Thermodynamics". *[San Diego Business Journal](/source/San_Diego_Business_Journal)*. p. 3. [EBSCO*host*](/source/EBSCOhost_(identifier)) [103550276](http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AN=103550276).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Ash_15-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Ash_15-1) Ash, Summer (December 13, 2014). ["Week in Geek: Physics by the swimming pool"](https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/week-geek-physics-the-swimming-pool-msna480021). *[MSNBC](/source/MSNBC)*. Retrieved April 11, 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Kwok_16-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Kwok_16-1) Kwok, Roberta (January 4, 2018). ["Put it on camera: How to get into scientific film- and video-making"](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-017-08862-6). *Nature*. **553** (7686): 117–119. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2018Natur.553..117K](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2018Natur.553..117K). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1038/d41586-017-08862-6](https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fd41586-017-08862-6). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0028-0836](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0028-0836).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Reist_17-0)** Reist, Margaret (April 10, 2017). ["Physics Girl, a YouTube star, encourages UNL scientists to stay curious"](https://journalstar.com/news/local/education/physics-girl-a-youtube-star-encourages-unl-scientists-to-stay-curious/article_fcf657e1-90c6-5dcf-87d2-06138f9503c6.html). *[Lincoln Journal-Star](/source/Lincoln_Journal-Star)*. Retrieved April 11, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Grossman, David (June 14, 2016). ["Watch Powerful Electromagnets Rip a Pathetic Soda Can in Half"](https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/a21342/electromagnets-crushing-can/). *[Popular Mechanics](/source/Popular_Mechanics)*. Retrieved April 12, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** Miley, Jessica (June 10, 2018). ["Watch How This Skateboarding Trick Defies The Laws of Physics"](https://interestingengineering.com/videos/watch-how-this-skateboarding-trick-defies-the-laws-of-physics). *Interesting Engineering*. Retrieved April 12, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** O'Neill, Sean (December 1, 2019). ["Engineering Stars at Google Science Fair"](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.eng.2019.10.008). *Engineering*. **5** (6): 987–988. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2019Engin...5..987O](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2019Engin...5..987O). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.eng.2019.10.008](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.eng.2019.10.008). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [2095-8099](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/2095-8099).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Dahn_&_Cummings_22-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Dahn_&_Cummings_22-1) Dahn, Ryan; Cummings, Cynthia (June 1, 2022). ["New books & media"](https://pubs.aip.org/physicstoday/article/75/6/56/2844704/New-books-amp-media). *Physics Today*. **75** (6): 56. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2022PhT....75f..56D](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2022PhT....75f..56D). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1063/PT.3.5023](https://doi.org/10.1063%2FPT.3.5023). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0031-9228](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0031-9228).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** Murphy, Lauren; Alley, Michael (2023). ["Editing Video"](https://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-031-25645-5_8). *The Craft of Scientific Films*. Cham: [Springer International Publishing](/source/Springer_International_Publishing). p. 134. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1007/978-3-031-25645-5_8](https://doi.org/10.1007%2F978-3-031-25645-5_8). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-031-25644-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-031-25644-8). Retrieved April 13, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** Qyll, Nicholas (October 8, 2021). "Gastbeitrag: Social Media im Selbstmarketing" [Guest Contribution: Social Media in Personal Marketing]. In Adlmeier-Herbst, D. Georg; Mayer, Annette (eds.). *Selbstmarketing für Wissenschaftler*innen* [*Personal Marketing for Scientists*] (in German). [Springer International Publishing](/source/Springer_International_Publishing). p. 104. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1007/978-3-658-33839-8_8](https://doi.org/10.1007%2F978-3-658-33839-8_8). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-658-33839-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-658-33839-8). Sie alle gehören zu einer neuen Generation von selbstbewussten Wissenschaftler*innen, die durch die unterhaltsame Vermittlung von wissenschaftlichen Themen über (soziale) Medien eine immer größere Öffentlichkeit erreichen und nachhaltig begeistern.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** ["Dianna Cowern – Physics Girl – The Webby Awards"](https://www.webbyawards.com/winners/2018/film-video/video-channels-networks/web-personality-channels-networks/dianna-cowern-physics-girl/?/). 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2020.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-26)** ["Dianna Cowern"](https://www.forbes.com/profile/dianna-cowern/). *[Forbes](/source/Forbes)*. 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-27)** ["WGSBN Bulletin March 2025"](https://www.wgsbn-iau.org/files/Bulletins/V005/WGSBNBull_V005_004.pdf#page=25) (PDF). *IAU: WG Small Bodies Nomenclature*. Retrieved March 18, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CBSLong2023_32-0)** Arenas, Jasmine (March 5, 2023). ["YouTuber "Physics Girl" dealing with long COVID as her sister helps from Denver"](https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/youtuber-physics-girl-long-covid-sister-helps-from-denver/). *CBS News*. Retrieved March 6, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-37)** ["My first science video in 3 years!"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3m3AMRlYfc). *YouTube*. Retrieved March 3, 2026.

### Primary sources

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_3-1) ["Dianna Cowern: Dead or Alive"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puXKFn-nKis), *3b1b Podcast*, vol. 4, August 31, 2021, retrieved March 4, 2023

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Cowern, Dianna. [https://x.com/thephysicsgirl/status/1377495163036184576](https://x.com/thephysicsgirl/status/1377495163036184576). X. March 31, 2021. [Archived](https://ghostarchive.org/archive/qK1C4) from the original on April 23, 2026. "Island School on Kauai. The tiny one. That’s really cool!! Where do they teach geology in Hawaiian?"

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:3_12-0)** ["Physics Girl - YouTube"](https://www.youtube.com/@physicsgirl/about). *www.youtube.com*. Retrieved March 4, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** Cowern, Dianna (September 25, 2020). [*Why it's impossible to make a red bubble… or IS it?!*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa5jQWJaFoQ). Retrieved September 25, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-28)** ["Instagram post dated May 20, 2022"](https://www.instagram.com/p/CdyfyhDJD5t/). *Instagram*. May 20, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Instagram_10Nov2022_29-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Instagram_10Nov2022_29-1) Cowern, Dianna. ["Instagram post dated Nov. 10 2022"](https://www.instagram.com/p/CkrmrpOplFD/). *Instagram*. Retrieved March 4, 2023. Since July, I've been struggling with what's called "Long COVID." [...] mine is very similar to Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-30)** ["Twitter Status dated March 3, 2023"](https://twitter.com/thephysicsgirl/status/1631506800687349760). *Twitter*. March 3, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-31)** [*Severe ME/CFS Caregiver: Kyle Kitzmiller*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1wbnIsYApA). *YouTube*. Bateman Horne Center. October 25, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-33)** ["Dianna stands for the first time in 2 years!"](https://youtube.com/shorts/2ntx91cOYEc?si=29C8r14BlAbF9QHB). *YouTube*. January 24, 2025. Retrieved January 24, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-34)** Physics Girl (May 22, 2025). [*First Update From Dianna*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqeIeIcDHD0). *YouTube*. Retrieved May 23, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-35)** Physics Girl (September 20, 2025). ["Dianna's Crash - Health Update - Summer 2025"](https://www.patreon.com/posts/diannas-crash-139352198). *Patreon*. Retrieved September 20, 2025. Dianna has been in another crash for a while now. [...] Setbacks last for months, and they put Dianna in a physical and mental state reminiscent of 2023 and 2024—the dark, bed-bound years. For the most part, Dianna has been bed-bound again.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-36)** ["Spoiler Alert! - First Science Video In 3 Years"](https://www.patreon.com/posts/spoiler-alert-in-149359322). *Patreon*. January 28, 2026.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [***Dianna Cowern***](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Dianna_Cowern).

- [Official website](https://physicsgirl.org/)

- [Dianna Cowern](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8307957/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

Authority control databases: Artists MusicBrainz

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dianna Cowern](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dianna_Cowern) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dianna_Cowern?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.