| Darrion Nguyen | |
| Other Names: | Lab Shenanigans |
| Birth Date: | October 20, 1994 |
| Birth Place: | Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Alma Mater: | University of Texas at Austin (BSA, BA) |
Darrion Nguyen (born October 20, 1994) is an Asian American science communicator. He plays Dr. Ion on the Ryan's World YouTube channel.[1] [2]
Darrion Nguyen was born on October 20, 1994, to Dung and Thi Nguyen and is of Vietnamese descent. Nguyen was raised in Houston, Texas and experienced a tragic event at the age of 11 when his father was murdered during a robbery at the family's convenience store. Following the incident, Nguyen fled to seek help and upon returning, found his father had died.[3] Nguyen graduated from Klein Forest High School in 2013, and attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he eventually received his B.S.A in Biochemistry and BA in Theatre & Dance in 2017.[4] [5]
While working as a research technician in 2019, Nguyen began publishing educational science videos to Instagram and TikTok under the pseudonym "Lab Shenanigans".[6] His videos involve the use of popular audios to personify and dramatize specific biochemistry topics.[7] [8] [9] His popularity expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic when his content shifted to educating the public about COVID-19 vaccines.[10] [11]
In May 2021, Nguyen was an invited speaker at TEDxSalisbury, where he discussed the significance of educational yet relatable online content and how it can be leveraged to make science easily accessible.[12]
In 2022, Nguyen partnered with Pfizer and Real Chemistry to produce a video series called I Heard it on The Internet aimed at debunking COVID-19 misinformation and rumors. The series has been named a finalist for the 2023 Shorty Award in the category of Best Video Series and Pharma & Healthcare.[13]
In February 2023, Nguyen delivered a TEDx Talk for UTAustin, “Reaching Objectives through Improv,” where he discussed the significance of integrating key principles of improvisational theatre into daily routines and interactions.[14]
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Shorty Award | Video Series | I Heard it on The Internet Video Content Series | |
| Pharma & Healthcare | I Heard it on The Internet Video Content Series |
Based on its own investigation and an investigation by Baylor College of Medicine, the Office of Research Integrity determined that Nguyen engaged in research misconduct in research supported by several government grants. The reported misconduct included "intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly falsifying and/or fabricating experimental data and results."[15] Nguyen then entered into a voluntary settlement agreement that did not require him to admit or deny wrongdoing. However, in an interview with Retraction Watch, Nguyen acknowledged: "I was in a lab environment where I was mentally struggling, and I took several shortcuts to produce more data. This stemmed from the fear of my [principal investigator], the pressure to meet expectations to keep my job as a technician, and my personal struggles to keep up with the demands of that lab."[16]