The explosion-creating YouTube phenom, Dr. Mad Science, came to the Ryersonian newsroom to conduct some of his signature experiments with our reporter Jonathan Forani.
Dr. Mad Science, or Jordan Hilkowitz, is an 11-year-old boy from Richmond Hill who shot to internet stardom after making easy-to-recreate YouTube videos of his science experiments. His channel, aptly named Dr. Mad Science, has had over six million views, and Jordan has appeared in the Toronto Star, LA Times, and CBC, to only name a few.
All of this is impressive, considering Jordan’s age, but what makes his story even more astounding is the fact that he has autism.
“The brand has exploded. It has become more than just a brand about science, it’s become a brand about advocacy for autism,” says Tracy Leparulo, the former Ryerson student behind the channel’s creation. Leparulo babysat Jordan and his sister for over eight years, and is now his business partner.
“My vision here is to ensure a future for both my children,” says Jordan’s mother, Stacey Hilkowitz. Hilkowitz’s daughter, Jordan’s older sister, Sam, is also autistic. “With YouTube being hooked up with Google, the cheques are just coming in every month and that goes right into the bank and that gets saved, unless we need it for Dr. Mad Science big things” she says.
Jordan wants to do the classic Coke-and-Mentos experiment for his next YouTube video, and after that, who knows. As for his mom, she only has one rule, “Please don’t blow up my house!”
Additional reporting & production by Lauren Murphy and Anam Latif
Jonathan Forani was an entertainment reporter and Voices podcast presenter for the Ryersonian in 2013. He graduated from the Master of Journalism program in 2014.