The combination of scientific knowledge and short videos has promoted the development of science communication. The rise of short video platforms represented by Tik Tok has provided a new position for popular science. Diverse and vivid methods promote the public's understanding of science, but some self-media frequently disseminate ineffective popular science and wrong scientific knowledge to the public due to lack of channels for acquiring professional knowledge or being affected by commercial interests, which affects the good dissemination environment for short popular science videos. In June 2021, the "Outline of Action Plan for National Science Literacy (2021-2035)" issued by the State Council pointed out that it is necessary to implement a project to improve the informatization of popular science, vigorously develop new media science communication, and enhance the professionalism and authority of science communication. Under such a background, as an important base for the country to cultivate and gather talents and provide scientific and technological services to the society, scientific research institutions have rich scientific and technological and human resources, master cutting-edge scientific knowledge, and their popular science short video accounts have great popular science advantages and development necessity. However, at present, the overall development of popular science short videos in scientific research institutions in my country is relatively slow, and there is great room for improvement.

This paper focuses on short videos of scientific research institutions for popular science, taking the Tik Tok account of the “Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences”, a model of scientific research institutions using short videos for popular science, as an example, and selects 195 short video works since its creation on August 5, 2018 as the research object. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, it analyzes its communication strategy and successful practice from four aspects: topic selection, content, form and interaction. It is found that the current overall problems in the development of popular science short videos in scientific research institutions on the Tik Tok platform: lack of video production and platform Professional team and personnel for operation; weak fan base and low user stickiness; content production and presentation are out of touch with short video platforms. Combined with the overall environment of national popular science, scientific research institution construction and short video development, this paper puts forward strategic suggestions for the development of short video popular science in scientific research institutions: change the concept of popular science, actively undertake the responsibility of science communication; give full play to the advantages of scientific research to make "effective + interesting" academic popular science content; Expand influence on multiple platforms; output video expressions adapted to short video platforms and popular elements. In order to promote scientific research institutions to give full play to "scientific research advantages" + "short video advantages" through optimization suggestions, improve the ability of new media to popularize science, and promote the construction and improvement of citizens' quality.