Dr. Brian Burt
The Black Males in Engineering (BME) video series, led by UW-Madison School of Education faculty member Dr. Brian Burt, recently received a Silver Telly Award in the Campaign – Education & Training category. The honor recognizes non-broadcast video campaigns created for general educational purposes and underscores the series' impact on addressing critical gaps in STEM education support.
The BME project represents a comprehensive approach to supporting Black males in STEM, offering research-backed methods that span from primary school through doctoral studies. At its core, the initiative transforms complex academic research into practical, accessible resources that can be used by parents, K-12 teachers, and college advisors.
"The BME video series is an example of dreaming big, to convert complex research ideas into accessible videos, interactive handouts, and a user-friendly website," said Burt, a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis and director of Wisconsin's Equity and Inclusion Laboratory (Wei LAB) in the Wisconsin Center for Education Research. "I'm glad that the BME initiative has been recognized for its global reach and lasting impact on Black boys and men in STEM."
The project's robust online platform features not only the award-winning video series but also interactive handouts with guided questions tailored to different audiences who play crucial roles in supporting Black males' STEM journeys.
The video series was produced through a partnership with Source TEN, a Milwaukee-based video production company that submitted the series for Telly Award consideration. This collaboration brought together academic research expertise with professional video production skills to create compelling, impactful content.
"Winning a Telly Award is a meaningful honor for us at Source TEN. It's a recognition of the creativity, craft, and care we pour into every story we tell," said Sandra Dempsey, Source Ten's executive producer and CEO.
What distinguished this project was its foundation in rigorous research combined with deeply personal storytelling. According to Dempsey, the series drew from "the largest collection of qualitative data and research on Black males in engineering graduate programs" while incorporating personal narratives that illuminate how engineering identities are formed and sustained.
"It wasn't just about representation; it was about reflection, resilience, and redefining what it means to belong in STEM spaces," Dempsey noted. "We were honored to creatively develop and produce these stories to be brought to the screen, contributing a broader conversation around equity, identity and inclusion in engineering education and beyond."
The recognition comes at a time when higher education institutions are increasingly focused on improving diversity and retention in STEM fields. The BME project addresses well-documented challenges that Black males face in engineering and other STEM disciplines, from underrepresentation in programs to barriers that can impact persistence and success.
By creating resources that are both research-based and practically applicable, the BME project bridges the gap between academic knowledge and real-world implementation. The video series and accompanying materials provide stakeholders across the educational spectrum with tools to better support Black males in their STEM journeys.
The Telly Awards have been honoring excellence in video and television across all screens since 1979. Originally focused on local, regional and cable television commercials, the awards have evolved to encompass the digital age, now celebrating branded content, documentary, social media, immersive experiences and more. The awards recognize the best work in the video medium during an exciting new era of moving images both online and offline.
