The Story Collider

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers become extremely fixated on something very specific. Part 1: After being diagnosed with breast cancer and opting for bilateral mastectomies, Jenna Dioguardi becomes beholden to her cancer to-do list. Part 2: As an 11-year-old kid, Luke Strathmann makes it his life mission to get rich off of Beanie Babies. Jenna Dioguardi is an Obie & Drama Desk-award winning performer. She made her Off-Broadway debut originating the role of #13 in Sarah DeLappe's The Wolves, and can now be seen storytelling in dimly lit venues throughout New York. Her solo show, Nipples for Christmas, is currently in development and had its debut in March. By day, Jenna works as a video producer and editor, creating the ads that target you on Instagram. She co-produced, starred in, and edited Smooch the Tucc, a web series chronicling Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy, and she was the co-creator and co-host of two live shows: The Best Storytelling Show (we promise) and The Mister Rogers Variety Hour. Follow her work on IG @jennadio3 & at ⁠jennadioguardi.com⁠. Luke Strathmann is an NYC-based writer and comedian, and currently leads the communications team at Yale’s Department of Economics. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker and McSweeney’s, and he is the proud host of ‘EconLOL,' the world’s first, best, and only economics-themed comedy variety show (at Caveat Theatre in NYC). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 16 May 2025

In honor of Mother’s Day, both of our storytellers share stories about their unique relationships with their moms. Part 1: Rita Rigano always had a complicated relationship with her mother, and it becomes even more fraught when her mother’s dementia worsens. Part 2: In the midst of writing her PhD dissertation, Jordyn Rice embarks on one last road trip with her mother, who is dying of lung cancer. Rita Rigano is a NYC-based storyteller who appears locally and online. Some favorite shows include Generation Woman, New Tricks, (mostly) True Things, The Moth, The Once Upon a Time Show, and Better Said Than Done. She started storytelling with her children, presenting fairy tales with a twist at libraries and schools. She loves live theatre, live music, and swing dancing with her husband. Jordyn Rice is a postdoctoral fellow based in Vancouver, BC. She is a physical therapist and researcher dedicated to finding strategies to promote healthy aging. While she is passionate about clinical research her love of neuroscience was sparked while studying sea slugs. Outside of the lab you can find her tucked into the mountains, rock climbing, or riding her bike. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 9 May 2025

In this week’s episode, Thomas Dixon and Rachel Robinson manage to build a friendship, despite not remembering the exact moments they shared. Thomas Dixon is the author of "I'm Sorry... That's Awesome!: Inventing a Solution for Memory Loss", and the inventor of ME.mory (a digital memory mobile application/service). Thomas was running when struck by a car and injured so badly that he nearly died. His episodic memory (specific details like places visited, people met, what has happened recently) has been severely compromised by his TBI. Since inventing ME.mory Thomas speaks and writes on the role of technology's benefits for episodic memory. As a world traveler he has been in twenty countries and looks forward to setting foot in many more. Rachel Robinson has lived with epilepsy for more than 20 years. To help overcome the challenges from this life-changing condition, she helps to educate those in the epilepsy community, working as a Patient Educator for a medical device company. In her spare time she enjoys bowling with her husband. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 May 2025

This week we present two stories from people who stood up against a system eager to tear them down. Part 1: After a car crash alters Emily Winn's life forever, she must relive the trauma when she testifies in a deposition. Part 2: Geneticist C. Brandon Ogbunu contemplates the role race has played in his academic career after he is confronted by the police. Dr. Emily Winn-Nuñez is a data scientist based in Brooklyn, NY where she lives with her husband and adorable pug. She received her AB in mathematics from the College of the Holy Cross, spent a year in the Visiting Students Programme at St. Edmund Hall at the University of Oxford, and earned a PhD in Applied Mathematics from Brown University. She’s still a Sox fan, still ergs at the gym, and still enjoys comedy - but she’ll also happily discuss the New York Liberty or the Love Island multiverse. C. Brandon Ogbunu is a Professor at the Santa Fe Institute, and an Assistant Professor at Yale University. His research focuses on evolutionary genetics and the ecology of disease. A New York City native, Brandon enjoys film, hip-hop, jazz and science fiction. He's an ex-very mediocre light heavy weight boxer, and slightly less mediocre experimental virologist. He has higher hopes for humanity than he does the New York Knicks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2025

In this week’s episode, both our storytellers’ lives are altered by an unexpected mishap. Part 1: When teenage Ron Hart accidentally walks through a glass door, he lands in the ER on the worst possible day: a tornado drill. Part 2: After a car accident leaves all of her teeth bent inward, Di Cai begins to rethink her life as a scientist. Ron Hart is a television writer, a Moth GrandSlam Champion, and a recovering mascot. Di Cai is an investment professional by day, a stand up comedian at night, and a sailboat skipper (aka “captain”) if there's good wind on the Hudson River. A former Chinese TV hostess turned PhD scientist; an investor moonlights as a comedian, going by a stage name Dr Dee in the underground New York comedy clubs. Whether it's stand up or storytelling, Di has her unique perspectives as an immigrant, a woman, and a badass. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 April 2025

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share tales of persistence and beating the odds in order to pursue their scientific dreams. Part 1: Determined to become an academic, Rajyashree Sen must take on a broken system to secure a spot in a PhD program in Vienna. Part 2: Josh Barber dreams of studying fish, but when his father goes to jail and his mother is diagnosed with breast cancer, he’s left to care for his nine younger siblings. Rajyashree Sen is a neuroscientist and postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University. She holds a PhD in neuroscience and molecular biology from the University of Vienna (Austria), and a masters degree in Biotechnology from the University of Hyderabad (India). As a graduate student with Dr. Barry Dickson, Dr. Sen dissected the neuronal pathways for evasive walking in fruit-flies. Her research focused on a set of neurons, dubbed the moonwalker neurons, that constitute the key pathway for backward walking in flies. Her work has been tweeted by MC Hammer. Dr. Sen is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate Dr. Richard Axel, where she investigates the neuronal basis of social memories in mice. When she is not in the lab, she does improv comedy. While science has taken her to interesting places in interesting brains, improv has taken her to the moon, hell, back and beyond.  Josh is the Assistant Director of Aquatic Life at Columbia University where he oversees the well-being of various aquatic species in biomedical research. He's cohost of the Podcast "Gettin' Fishy With it" a podcast about fish in the wild, the hobby and the laboratory. His hobbies include improv comedy, ruining conversation flow with terrible puns, fishing, and fishing in his favorite videogame, World of Warcraft. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2025

Some people are meant to be together—but in this week’s episode, our storytellers discover they’re definitely not a match made in heaven. Part 1: When Mark Pitzer gets splashed with methyl cyanide, he turns to his new girlfriend in hopes of comfort. Part 2: Hoping to impress his scientist date, Adam Selbst plans the perfect outing: the Central Park Squirrel Census. Mark Pitzer, Ph.D. is a Neuroscientist at the University of Portland. For the last 25 years he has worked to better understand and treat diseases of the brain, including Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases. Currently, his lab studies how developmental influences in the womb can alter the number of dopaminergic neurons involved in reward, movement and social behavior. Mark is also an award-winning teacher who uses the findings from the fields of learning and neuroscience to invoke enduring enthusiasm, curiosity, and deep learning in his college students. Adam Selbst is an award-winning designer, writer and storyteller. He’s performed on The Moth, PBS, Risk!, The Artichoke and a whole bunch of other shows around NYC. He also ran the popular Big Irv’s Storytelling Roadshow from his bodega art collective in Williamsburg, Brooklyn for over 10 years, before retiring the space during the pandemic. He currently resides in a big house with, like, a thousand friends and a single problematic cat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 April 2025

This week, we present two stories about confronting threats -- whether it’s actual physical danger or a threat to your career. Part 1: Climate scientist Kim Cobb is exploring a cave in Borneo when rocks begin to fall. Part 2: Neurobiologist Lyl Tomlinson is startled when he's accused of stealing cocaine from his former lab. Kim Cobb is a researcher who uses corals and cave stalagmites to probe the mechanisms of past, present, and future climate change. Kim has sailed on multiple oceanographic cruises to the deep tropics and led caving expeditions to the rainforests of Borneo in support of her research. Kim has received numerous awards for her research, most notably a NSF CAREER Award in 2007, a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in 2008, and the EGU Hans Oeschger Medal in 2020. She served as Lead Author for the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and as a member of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board under President Biden. As a mother to four, Kim is a strong advocate for women in science, and champions diversity and inclusion in all that she does. She is also devoted to the clear and frequent communication of climate change to the public through speaking engagements and social media. Lyl Tomlinson is a Brooklyn native and a post-doctoral researcher and program coordinator at Stony Brook University. He is also a science communication fanatic who often asks: “Would my grandma understand this?” Using this question as a guiding principle, he won the 2014 NASA FameLab science communication competition and became the International final runner-up. In addition to making complex information understandable, he has a growing interest in science policy. Lyl meets with government representatives to advocate for science related issues and regularly develops programs to tackle problems ranging from scientific workforce issues to the Opioid Epidemic. Outside of his work and career passions, he seems to harbor an odd obsession with sprinkles and is a (not so secret) comic book and anime nerd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 March 2025

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers struggle to get the right words out. Part 1: After living with a stutter all her life, Sara Street thinks coding might be the solution to her communication problems. Part 2: Electrical engineer Anna Fox longs to share her work with her family, but struggles with how to explain it. Sara Street has lived in Idaho for seven years with her mom and dad after moving from Texas in 2019; however, her hometown is Greensboro, North Carolina. She is now pursuing her undergraduate degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. She has been very active within the STEM community for the past four years, especially within her school. She served as the Idaho State Secretary for the Technology Student Association (TSA), a student-led STEM CTSO. In her free time, she loves to read and paint. Anna Fox is a scientist and device fabricator at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder Colorado. Besides working with superconducting integrated circuits, she is an avid biker, rafter, crocheter, and reader. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 21 March 2025

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers explore what happens when belief systems collide—and how science and empathy can help bridge the divide. Part 1: Neuroscientist Lauren Vetere is excited to see if real life will mimic science at an interfaith event. Part 2: Growing up as a devout Jew, Fred Gould’s relationship with God is shaken by existential philosophy and science. Lauren Vetere is a neuroscientist, writer, and science communicator based in NYC. She recently received her PhD in Neuroscience from Mount Sinai, where she studied how different parts of the brain communicate to make memories, and how that communication is disrupted in epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease. Outside of the lab, she works to make science accessible through writing, community outreach, and art. Lauren serves as a council member and blog writer for BraiNY, a NYC-based neuroscience outreach group. In 2023, she co-created the winning science-inspired short film for Symbiosis, a competition where scientists and filmmakers are paired to make short films in one week. She then returned as the coordinator for the 2024 Symbiosis competition. In her free time, you can find Lauren writing, baking, or listening to sci-fi and fantasy audiobooks in central park. Fred Gould graduated from Jamaica HS in NYC and received his BS in biology from Queens College of the City University of New York.  He went on to a PhD program in ecology and evolutionary biology at the State University of NY at Stony Brook. He moved to North Carolina for a postdoc and then a job on the faculty of NC State University. Gould is now the executive director of the NC State Genetics and Genomics Academy and is co-director of the Genetic Engineering and Society Center. He conducts research on the application of evolutionary biology and population genetics to enable sustainable use of insect resistant crops and genetically engineered agricultural pests. He also does research aimed at development of strategies for engineering insect vectors of human pathogens to decrease disease. Most of Gould’s current teaching focuses on technical and societal issues related to genomics and genetic engineering. He also teaches lectures within a course on Darwinism and Christianity. Gould is a fellow of the Entomological Society of America and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 2011, he was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 March 2025

Is who we are shaped more by nature or nurture? It's a question science has grappled with for years. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers dive into their family histories to explore how the people and experiences that came before them continue to shape who they are today. Part 1: As a teenager, Mark Pagan worries that having an old dad is affecting his social development. Part 2: Curious about his DNA, Christopher Rivas takes his father go on a journey to the Dominican Republic to learn about his family history. Mark Pagán is an award-winning producer, writer, and editor for non-fiction podcasts and film. He is the creator and host of the critically acclaimed show Other Men Need Help. His work has been featured on Latino USA, Radiotopia, On the Media, 99 Percent Invisible, Code Switch, among others. His films and performances have been shown at dozens of festivals and shows worldwide including Slamdance Film Festival, Maryland Film Festival, RISK!, The Moth, and Story Collider. Mark's work has been nominated for a Peabody, has made The Atlantic, The New York Times, The New Yorker annual “best of” lists, and has been recognized by Vulture, TIME Magazine, CBC, Los Angeles Review of Books, and The Financial Times. Before working in digital media, Mark was a teacher, social worker, comedian, part-time mascot, and bboy. He currently lives in NYC with his wife and an emo pit bull named Soca. Christopher Rivas is quickly becoming one of the most sought after multi-hyphenates as an actor, author, podcaster, and storyteller. His book Brown Enough, explores what it means to be Brown in a Black/white world. The book is part memoir and part social commentary. He also hosts two podcast series with SiriusXM's Stitcher: Brown Enough, which explores the parallel themes of this book through interview-style episodes; and Rubirosa, a 10-episode documentary-style investigation of Porfirio Rubirosa, a Dominican diplomat, race car driver, soldier and polo player who is believed to be the inspiration for the famous character ‘James Bond’. On screen, Rivas is known for his work on the Fox series, Call Me Kat, opposite Mayim Bialik, Leslie Jordan, Kyla Pratt and Cheyenne Jackson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 7 March 2025

In this week’s episode, both our storytellers examine the importance of diversity and representation in science – and not just in their research sample. Part 1: While serving on a diversity panel, biologist Latasha Wright is asked if representation in STEM matters, prompting her to reflect on her experiences. Latasha Wright, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, received her Ph.D. from NYU Langone Medical Center in cell and molecular biology. She continued her scientific training at Johns Hopkins University and Weill Cornell Medical Center. She has co-authored numerous publications, presented her work at international and national conferences. BioBus enables Latasha to share her love of science with a new generation of scientists. Latasha spearheaded the creation of the first BioBase community lab, the BioBus internship program, and our Harlem expansion. Everyday that Latasha spends teaching students about science in this transformative environment helps her remember that science is fun. She loves sharing the journey of discovery with students of all ages. Part 2: LFC's childhood experiences with nature – and with bigotry – come together to inform her career in environmentalism. LFC has been organizing in Missouri for almost 10 years now. Starting in Reproductive Justice through a faithful lens, to School to Prison Pipeline and Statewide Policy initiatives, to now Environmental Justice/ Climate Change. She believes that a call out is an invitation to be called into authentic and transformational relationships in order to obtain Environmental Justice for All. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 February 2025

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers experience a shift in how they see themselves. Part 1: Fangfang Ruose fears that her prosthetic legs will exclude her from becoming a fashion model. Part 2: When engineering student Devan Sandiford runs into an old friend from his former college, he desperately wants her to think he’s cool. Fangfang Ruose is originally from a small village in China and grew up in a Chinese Catholic orphanage, where she received her first prosthetics at the age of three. Later, she was adopted by an American father and a Spanish mother, and moved to Miami as a teenager. She graduated from FIU with a Bachelor’s in Finance and is now pursuing a Master’s in International Real Estate and Finance, focusing on development. Alongside her studies, she models, proudly showcasing her prosthetics and embracing her unique journey to advocate for body positivity and self-acceptance. Devan Sandiford is a published writer, award-winning storyteller, and community activist. His stories have been featured in The Washington Post, NPR, The Moth Podcast, Story Collider, Simple Families Podcast, Speak Up Storytelling, and elsewhere. He is an alumni of and former writer-in-residence at the Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation (VONA), a finalist for The Kenyon Review Developmental Editing Fellowship for Emerging Writers, and a recipient of the Corporeal Writing Scholarship for Writing Trauma Toward Healing and Joy with Terese Maria Mailhot. He has a poem in the anthology Excitement and Talisman (2023) and an essay in the anthology Bodies of Stories (2022). Devan has contributed his opinions on race, identity, grief, parenting, and storytelling for articles in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Slate Magazine. He has received acclaim from multiple New York Times bestselling authors, including Roxane Gay, who called him "an excellent writer who will be endlessly interesting to his readers." Devan lives in Brooklyn, New York with his wife and their two sons and works as a story developer at The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He loves brunch, biking in a morning chill, bookstore crawls, and being roasted on his birthday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 21 February 2025

While love and science don’t often go hand-in-hand, this week, in celebration of Valentine’s Day, both of our stories are about finding love using scientific methods. Part 1: After Tony Dahlman plucks up the courage to ask out a fellow statistician, he consults the Survey Administration Manual for guidance on how to construct the perfect date. Part 2: When engineering student Heather Monigan asks liberal arts major Michael Berger on a date he’s completely unaware that she's interested in him. Tony Dahlman is a numbers guy. He has spent nineteen years as a statistician for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Tony is a native Minnesotan who enjoys running, biking, public speaking, college football, and is obsessed with State Fairs. A few years ago he got hooked on storytelling and has told stories with Story District in Washington, DC, the Des Moines Storyteller’s Project, TellersBridge in Cedar Rapids, IA, and The Moth in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN. Tony lives with his wife in Des Moines, Iowa. Heather Monigan is a resilient lady with a sharp wit who has learned to laugh in the face of adversity. Her hobbies include staying happily married, keeping two teens alive and spontaneous home remodels. In her spare time, she is an Engineering Executive in the semiconductor industry for over 24 years and active in the tech community. She currently serves as Chair of the IEEE Phoenix Section and is the Phoenix Section’s International Development Lead for Engineers Without Borders. Heather also serves on the Grand Canyon University President’s STEM Advisory Board and the GCU Engineering Advisory Council. She is an adjunct engineering professor for Grand Canyon University. Ms. Monigan holds an MBA and BSCE and never got the memo to “relax”. Michael is married to Heather Monigan, which is what got him this gig. He also considers that his greatest achievement. Like most everyone else out in Phoenix he is an ex-Midwesterner, hailing from Dayton, Ohio. Since moving to Phoenix in 2004 he acquired a son, a daughter, a doctorate, and too many cats. Since his parents were both in education he decided to start his career there and never left, now working as the Dean of the College of Doctoral Studies for Grand Canyon University. In his limited free time he enjoys playing games of all kinds, the odd bit of creative writing, working out, and attempting ridiculous obstacle course races. Michael doesn’t mind public speaking but has difficulty memorizing scripts. Hopefully this won’t be a problem for Heather.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 February 2025

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share stories about times their deepest secrets were discovered. Part 1: Growing up in Ghana, Pauline Owusu-Ansah hides her secret desire to study lizards. Part 2: Saad Sarwana’s secret identity as a standup comedian threatens to ruin his burgeoning physics career. Pauline Owusu-Ansah is a first year PhD student whose passion for evolutionary biology didn't fade off despite growing up in a place where scientists are known to be just medical doctors or engineers. Her story, "The lizard's leap..." capture's a journey from curiosity in Ghana, West Africa to becoming a scientist in this part of the world. Saad Sarwana also know as “The Standup Physicist” has been a comedian for 25+ years. He has performed in every major comedy club on the east coast, and over 25 states. As a certified geek, Saad hosts the “Science Fiction and Fantasy Spelling Bee”. Saad is also a four time MOTH StorySLAM champion, has appeared on the Story Collider podcast six times, and is Arizona Story Collider producer. As a Physicist/Engineer, Saad has 40+ peer reviewed papers and is the past president of the US Committee on Superconductor Electronics. Saad had appeared on multiple Scifotainment (Scientific Entertainment) shows on Discovery / Science Channel, including over 100 episodes on the TV show “Outrageous Acts of Science.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 7 February 2025

This week, we present two stories about science intersecting with love -- in both fortunate and unfortunate ways. Part 1: Nothing can come between Lindzi Wessel and her new boyfriend, David -- except maybe herpes. Part 2: Marine biologist Skylar Bayer and first mate Thom Young find love on a boat. Lindzi Wessel is a science and health journalist who recently graduated from the UC Santa Cruz Science Communication Program. Before turning her sights on journalism, she studied the mind, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s in neuroscience from UC Davis. She has covered topics ranging from wildfire management to Zika transmission for outlets including The San Jose Mercury News, Alzforum, and STAT. For the moment, she resides in DC where she is writing for Science. Lindzi is a traveler who enjoys spending time outdoors and in the presence of dogs, whenever possible. Thom and Skylar Young-Bayer live in Juneau, Alaska with their four rescue dogs, Millie, Echo, Zoey, and Atlas, and their cat Mistletoe. Thom Young-Bayer has worked in various careers including as a marine biologist, a tall ship sailor, an organic farmer, and an EMT. Skylar Young-Bayer has a Ph.D. in Marine Biology and is on the storyboard of Mudrooms, a local storytelling show in Juneau. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 31 January 2025

Few things sting more than being on the outside looking in. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share deeply personal accounts of feeling rejected. Part 1: At school, Natalie Ayala can’t understand why she and the other dual-language kids are treated differently. Part 2: As a photographer on a research expedition in Antarctica, Marley Parker can’t seem to break into the scientist inner circle. Natalie Ayala is a third-year mechanical engineering student at Boise State University. Her goal is to pursue a career in the space industry, have hands-on involvement in human space flight missions, and advocate for minorities in STEM!  Marley Parker has been working as a professional science communicator for over a decade. At the beginning of 2018, Marley left a full-time position at a tier one research university to start her own business as a freelance photographer, videographer, and science writer. Over the past seven years, Marley has found a special niche: documenting deep sea research. She has joined 25 expedition teams on eight different vessels, highlighting projects sponsored by NOAA, NASA, the National Science Foundation, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the Ocean Exploration Trust, and many others. When she is not documenting ocean science in remote parts of the world, Marley loves sharing the lessons she has learned from pursuing an unconventional career path. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 24 January 2025

Being able to change to meet one’s circumstances is essential to survival. As HG Wells famously wrote: “adapt or perish.” In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers find themselves in unfamiliar territory and need to change course. Part 1: As the only American, microbiologist Chris Robinson struggles to make friends with the other researchers in Chernobyl. Part 2: In his quest to study the adaptability of stickleback fish, neuroscientist Ashwin Bhandiwad keeps needing to adjust his experiment with each new hurdle. Chris Robinson is a published writer and PAm-Costco USA Scholar in the midst of his PhD at Indiana University. His research uses the honey bee as a model to study the ecology and evolution of the gut microbiome and how evolutionary adaptations, such as antibiotic resistance, are transmitted by mobile genetic elements. Originally from the Lowcountry of South Carolina, Chris has harvested watermelon with the USDA, spent a few years as a line cook in Charleston kitchens, and was formally a Fulbright Research Fellow in Ukraine. When not staring at a computer screen, Chris can be found deep into a bicycle ride, playing in the garden, or lamenting the failure of some baking experiment. Ashwin Bhandiwad has spent a remarkable amount of time trying to understand how the brain is organized. Once called "the most handsome boy in the world" by his mom, Ashwin is now a scientist at the Allen Institute for Brain Science working on developing tools to create maps of the brain. Ashwin received his PhD in Psychology from the University of Washington where he investigated how loud noise causes damage in the inner ear. Simultaneously, he disregarded that research by attending many loud concerts. Ashwin also loves swimming, starting projects that he’ll never finish, and talking in silly voices to his young children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 17 January 2025

From bizarre job requirements to downright horrible bosses, sometimes our jobs just don’t fit. In this week’s episode, both our storytellers share stories about what happens when work doesn’t work. Part 1: When fertility research scientist Sarah Adelman gets a job at a sperm bank, she’s apparently the only one who finds it funny. Part 2: In her new job at a neuroscience lab, Anna Zhukovskaya’s boss starts to pick on her. Sarah Adelman is a born and bred New Yorker, former fertility research scientist, and stand up comedian. She performs regularly at all the top NYC comedy clubs and independent shows, can be seen on two episodes of HBO Game Theory and has over 35,000 followers across her platforms . Her content has been featured on The Today Show, NBC News, Meta, the 92nd Street Y, and more. Sarah graduated Cum Laude from Dartmouth College in 2019 and earned her Masters of Public Health from Columbia University in 2021. She trained as a research scientist in NYC where she studied fertility and ran human subjects trials at a sperm bank. Her one hour comedy solo show, EGG, brings audiences through her hilarious and heartfelt coming-of-age journey to her present-day career in science, the day-to-day of studying male reproduction, why she started comedy, and culminates in an earth-shattering clash of her two worlds. EGG premires in June 2024. Anna Zhukovskaya is a neuroscientist studying the role of somatosensation in social behavior and its effects on stress. She is currently doing a postdoc in the Abdus-Sabor lab in Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute. She did her PhD at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute in Ilana Witten's lab. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 January 2025

When life throws challenges our way, sometimes the most surprising people—or even baked goods—step up to save the day. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers remind us that heroes can come in all shapes, sizes, and forms. Part 1: While on a bike ride with her daughter, Rebecca Stronger comes across an unconscious stranger on the ground. Part 2: The only thing standing between Ruby Mustill and being trampled by elephants is a tent. Rebecca Stronger was born and raised in Brooklyn, and she wants you to know that she HAS left the neighborhood a few times. She is a retired acrobat, a veterinarian, a single mother and is just about ready to start calling herself a writer. Ruby Mustill is an evolutionary biology PhD student at Texas A&M University. Before moving to Texas, she graduated from Columbia University with a BA in anthropology, studied monkeys in Puerto Rico, and managed a remote field site in Kasanka National Park, Zambia. Outside of research, Ruby spends her time knitting and talking at length about her elderly cat, Muffin. She hopes to work at a natural history museum in the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 3 January 2025

This week, we bring you two stories about the science of morality. Or morality in science. Either way you want to look at it. Part 1: Political scientist Ethan Hollander interviews a Nazi war criminal as part of his research. Part 2: As a graduate student, Cather Simpson is excited to present her work -- but then her adviser lies about it. Ethan J. Hollander is a professor of political science at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana. He is also the author of Hegemony and the Holocaust: State Power and Jewish Survival in Occupied Europe. Hollander’s published scholarship also includes research on democratization in Eastern Europe and on the Arab Spring. At Wabash, Dr. Hollander teaches courses on the Politics of the Middle East, Ethnic Conflict and Genocide, European Politics, and Research Methods and Statistics. He is a native of Miami Beach, and received his Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego in 2006. When Cather Simpson graduated from high-school in the USA, she was certain she was going to become a neurosurgeon. She was very, very wrong. In her first year at uni, she discovered scientific research and got completely hooked. She is now a Professor of Physics and Chemical Sciences at the University of Auckland, where she started and directed a super-fun ultrafast laser lab called the Photon Factory. These days, she’s morphed into an entrepreneurial academic. The first company she co-founded, Engender Technologies, uses lasers to sort sperm by sex for the dairy industry. The second, Orbis Diagnostics, uses lasers for infectious disease testing at point-of-care – she is currently CEO there. The latest, Luminoma DX, uses light to screen more effectively for skin cancers. When she’s not enjoying the pleasure and satisfaction from using lasers to solve the knotty problems presented by Mother Nature, she’s doing 5000 piece puzzles and being “Schrodinger’s Mom” – simultaneously the world’s best and worst mother – to two lovely sons. Note: Ethan's story was produced as part of our partnership with Springer Nature's Springer Storytellers program. Find out more at beforetheabstract.com. Cather's story was produced as part of our partnership with SCANZ, Science Communicators Association of New Zealand. Find out more at www.scanz.co.nz. And look for more Story Collider shows in Wellington, New Zealand, in 2018! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 December 2024

Whether you're playing a game of poker or a taking a leap of faith with your future, everything has its risks and possible rewards. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share moments when they took a chance. Part 1: Beatriz Perez’s parents want her to use her first pay check to gamble on the slot machines. Part 2: Dave Piontkowski is on a winning streak in Vegas when his severe ulcerative colitis rears its ugly head. Beatriz Perez: I'm a Mexican-American computer engineer working in Massachusetts. I thrive on finding new things to try out and putting myself outside of my comfort zone, hence my new interest for story telling. I have a deep passion for empowering women and young girls in STEM. During the weekends you'll find me traveling to a random country, crafting, working on a new project, or reading a good book. Dave Piontkowski is an NYC based stand-up comedian who performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2023 and 2024 with his one man show 3 Kidneys No Colon which he is currently touring with. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 December 2024

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share tales about birds that had a big impact in their lives. Part 1: Paula Croxson uses her neuroscience background to get rid of the pigeon family that has taken up residence on her window sill. Part 2: As a new urban park ranger, Tim Lopez gets a call to capture a swan on the loose. Paula Croxson is a neuroscientist, science communicator, musician and open water swimmer. She received an M.A. from the University of Cambridge and a M.Sc. and a Ph.D. from the University of Oxford before moving to New York to run a neuroscience lab. She changed career direction around 5 years ago to focus on public engagement with science, first at Columbia University and then at the Dana Foundation. She is also the flautist in alternative rock band Marlowe Grey and nerdy rock band Pavlov’s Dogz. The swimming is apparently for “fun”. Tim Lopez is a storyteller and educator born and raised in Los Angeles. His stories have been featured on the Moth Radio Hour, KCRW in Los Angeles, and CBS Radio nationwide. He is currently an Interpretive Park Ranger at Channel Islands National Park, where he brings the stories of the natural environment and the history of California to life. He is also a Jeopardy! champion and is legally obligated to mention that fact as often as possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 December 2024

When it comes to mental health problems, there aren't really "cures," but in this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share how they figured out what worked for them. Part 1: Deandra Anjahlee decides to study psychology to try to understand what is happening with her mind. Part 2: After all other treatments fail to treat Nick Caruso’s 25-year long depression, he gives transcranial magnetic stimulation a shot. Deandra Anjahlee is a community centered educator, leader, and fresh storyteller. She is a proud Brooklynite with Caribbean roots. Themes of identity and equity ground her work on and off stage. She is passionate about creating safe spaces for intergenerational learning, growth and joy. Her storytelling evokes laughter, nostalgia, and encourages introspection. When she’s not on stage, you can find her sneaking explicit music in at your kid’s prom, or catching the last bits of sunlight in Prospect Park. Nick Caruso is a proud Michigan native living in Brooklyn bliss with his amazing partner and a bunch of plants. He's a lifelong lover of comedy and cinema, an entertainer at heart, and a career writer/editorial director/multimedia presenter. Nick is passionate about the intersection of storytelling and education and is always on the hunt for professional (or not) opportunities to craft and communicate new, additive narratives. He’s also an ordained minister, amateur mechanic, and aspiring 'Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me' panelist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 December 2024

This week, we bring you two stories about frustrations in the field, whether it's a failure to find dinosaur fossils or a struggle with a painful medical condition. Part 1: Paleontologist David Evans and his team start to feel defeated after three days of searching fruitlessly for fossils.  Part 2: After cave geologist Gabriela Serrato Marks develops fibromyalgia, exploring caves becomes a challenge. David C. Evans holds the Temerty Chair in Vertebrate Palaeontology and oversees dinosaur research at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). He is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto. David is an Ontario-born researcher who is recognized as an authority on the rich dinosaur fossil record of Canada. As a curator, David helped develop the ROM's dinosaur galleries, and was Lead Curator of the major travelling exhibition Ultimate Dinosaurs. He has been featured on numerous television shows, and most recently, David was co-creator of the HISTORY series Dino Hunt Canada. David’s research focuses on the evolution, ecology and diversity of dinosaurs, and their relationship to environmental changes leading up to the end Cretaceous extinction event. Active in the field, he has participated in expeditions all over the world, including the Africa, Mongolia, and Canada, and has helped discover 10 new dinosaur species in the last five years- including the remarkable horned dinosaur Wendiceratops from southern Alberta, and the wickedly armoured Zuul named after the Ghostbusters movie monster. Gabi is a science communicator with a passion for expanding inclusion in STEM. As a co-founder of Stellate Communications, she helps academics multiply the impact of their research and engage with new communities. She also co-edited Uncharted, an anthology of personal stories from disabled scientists (Columbia University Press). Gabi is based in Boston and spends her free time drinking iced coffee with her husband and two cats, Spock and Moose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 November 2024

Science can sometimes feel like an exclusive club that only certain people are allowed into. In this week’s episode, produced in partnership with the Allen Institute, both of our storytellers try to find their place in science. Part 1: After getting accepted to a PhD program, Max Departee can’t help but feel like he’s not good enough to be there. Part 2: Han Arbach is worried coming out as non-binary will ruin their scientific career. Max Departee is a research scientist from the Pacific Northwest who has always had a fascination with the natural world. A curious nature and outdoor spirt led him to attend Montana State University where, between fly-fishing on local rivers and skiing the Rockies, he earned his Bachelors Degree in Biotechnology. Max's career and training as a scientist have taken him many places, from a PhD program in North Carolina, to a small Biotech Start-up in Washington, and back to his home town of Seattle where he now works at the Allen Institute for Brain Science. Han Arbach grew up dreaming of becoming an astronaut after watching the space shuttle land at the military base their family was stationed at. As they continued to grow up and became a “frequent flyer” in the orthopedics department for various injuries, their aspirations shifted towards medical training. Encouraged by fantastic AP Biology and Chemistry teachers in high school they pursued a biochemistry major at Mount Holyoke College. Here they were encouraged by a chemistry professor to try out research. This fostered a newfound love for discovery and research, and with it a new dream career path of becoming a scientist. Han completed their Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the University of Washington studying tail regeneration and nuclear structure in tadpoles. They then did Postdoctoral work at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center using viruses as a tool to probe facets of cell biology. Now, they are a Program Officer at the Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group. Outside of work, you will find them raising two dogs with their partner, attempting to befriend crows, and being a poor but enthusiastic gardener.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 November 2024

In this digital age, technology can connect us in ways we never imagined. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share stories of the weird and wonderful ways technology created new opportunities and forged new relationships. Part 1: In an attempt to be seen as “cool” by his friends, Azhar Bande-Ali reaches out to the Steve Wozniak and invites him for coffee. Part 2: Don Picard can’t stop using technology to keep tabs on his son. Azhar Bande-Ali is a storyteller who likes his tales with a side of laughs. His award-winning debut solo show, "Curry and Catharsis," presented at the NYC Fringe Festival, won hearts for telling an Indian story hyphenated by an American upbringing. As a former Moth StorySLAM winner, he obsesses over story structure that leaves plenty of room for silliness to highlight the complexities of the human experience. Don Picard has worked in the Boston area for 30 years as a software developer. He was a double major in Theatre Arts and Computer Science at Cornell, and chose to work as an engineer in order to be able to live in Cambridge and feed his family. Don enjoys telling live stories about his kids, husband, and extended family as it is fun, therapeutic, and allows him to exercise the other half of his college degree so he doesn't become bitter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 November 2024

Healthcare is often a tangled web of bureaucracy and inefficiencies. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share their experiences navigating its many flaws. Part 1: Zoe Wisnoski’s takes matters into her own hands when her son has months of ongoing fevers. Part 2: During the pandemic, epidemiologist Bryon Backenson becomes disheartened when the public stops cooperating with public health authorities. Zoe Wisnoski is a seeker of stories, adventure, travel, and moments that stick with you. She stumbled into the world of storytelling through a training put on by Story Collider. Her passion for activism buoyed by a penchant for oversharing has finally found a home. Formerly a feminist policy analyst with a Masters in Public Policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, now a full time - still feminist - mother, Zoe spends her time attempting to create joy amidst utter chaos. When her son was diagnosed with the super rare, to date minimally understood, genetic disease Tatton Brown Rahman Syndrome (TBRS), Zoe reoriented her educational and professional background to meeting his needs and volunteering with the TBRS Community, the nonprofit aimed at supporting families and advancing research for TBRS. In 2024 she joined the board of directors and continues to search for answers. Bryon Backenson is an epidemiologist. He is currently the director of the Bureau of Communicable Disease Control at the New York State Department of Health. He and his team investigate, respond to, and research infectious disease outbreaks. He is also a professor in the University at Albany College of Integrated Health Sciences, where he teaches in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. When not thinking about disease, he spends his time hiking, fishing, and reading. While he talks about epidemiology and infectious diseases all the time in classes, meetings, and webinars, this is the first time he’s tried to tell his own story in this kind of format. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 November 2024

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share stories about moments in life where they chose to put themselves and their wellbeing first. Part 1: When Yves Jeffcoat is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, she isn’t sure how to manage this new normal. Part 2: Jameer Pond keeps ending up in relationships he doesn’t want to be in, so his therapist suggests he take a sex sabbatical. Yves Jeffcoat is a writer, a podcast host and producer, and a yoga teacher. Her writing has been in The New York Times, Paper Monument, Lapham’s Quarterly, Art in America, The Bitter Southerner, and elsewhere on the internet and in print. She has hosted and helped create podcasts with iHeartRadio, Afropunk, and Hulu that reflect her interests in Blackness, history, healing, and resistance. She is currently the co-creator and co-host of On Theme, a podcast about Black storytelling in all its forms. Brooklyn, New York born award-winning storyteller, director and interviewer Jameer Pond has spent his whole life walking in his passion; engaging with people through diverse storytelling. Throughout his career, he’s created viral series such as Buzzfeed’s Black People Try, co-hosted BET’s first morning talk show Black Coffee, directed several cover videos across Condé Nast’s array of publications, including Sir Lewis Hamilton and Simone Biles, and has won a Shorty Award. You can currently catch him traveling the world, telling his dynamic stories with The Moth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 November 2024

This week we present two stories about the inspiration behind scientists' careers. Part 1: Kate Marvel's dream of being a genius takes her to Cambridge to study astrophysics. Part 2: When Joe Normandin begins to question his sexuality as a teenager, he turns to neuroscience for help. Kate Marvel is a climate scientist at the NASA Goddard Institute of Space studies. She uses computer models and satellite observations to monitor and explain the changes happening around us. Her work has suggested that human activities are already affecting global rainfall and cloud patterns. Her book Human Nature: Nine Ways to Feel About Our Changing Planet will be published in 2025 by Ecco Press. Joe Normandin earned a B.A. in Biology with a Specialization in Neuroscience from Boston University, where he worked as an undergraduate research assistant in labs studying the behavioral genetics of sexual orientation in people and female sexual behavior in a rat model. He earned a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences - Neurobiology and Behavior from Georgia State University, where he explored how the brain regulates sexual reflexes. He found evidence of a brain circuit that provides an anatomical/functional basis for the oft-reported side effects of delayed orgasm in those taking antidepressants. He is now a Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Neuroscience Institute at Georgia State University. Dr. Normandin values the wonderful public education and support he received as a young gay man growing up in Massachusetts. Even with that education and support, he struggled with his identity as a gay person. In high school, a psychology class introduced him to neuroscience, which led to a search for research that he thought would validate his sexual orientation. This search set him on a path towards becoming a neuroscientist, and ultimately led to questions he explores in the classroom: Are people born gay? Does it matter? Dr. Normandin is also an avid gamer and has saved the universe many times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 25 October 2024

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share their experiences with online hate and the surprising lessons they learnt along the way. Part 1: After debunking Bella Hadid’s treatment for chronic lyme disease, Fola Olusanya finds herself in a heated debate with another TikToker. Part 2: During the pandemic, infectious disease researcher and science communicator Laurel Bristow receives a flood of hate mail. Fola Olusanya is a PhD student at NYU studying computational biomedicine, and has been a producer with Story Collider since 2022. She is also a writer and content creator. Laurel Bristow is an infectious disease researcher, science communicator, reluctant instagram baddie, and all around fan of tomfoolery. By day she creates public health education for general audiences and occasionally uses her free time and instagram to educate about infectious disease, and advance her personal vendetta against the cruise industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 October 2024

In this week’s episode, both of the storytellers share stories about moments when life just wouldn’t let up. Part 1: After giving birth to her second child, Julie Raskin doesn’t know how to handle his constant crying and need to nurse. Part 2: As a new immigrant and surprise cancer patient, Emmanuel Paul navigates the complexities of the US healthcare system. After Julie’ Raskin’s son Ben was born with congenital hyperinsulinism (HI), a condition that causes the overproduction of insulin that leads to severe hypoglycemia, Julie joined a dedicated group of parents whose children were also affected by the condition to found Congenital Hyperinsulinism International (CHI). Julie is the CEO of CHI and since 2010 she has led this active worldwide community of patients, their families and caregivers, expert clinicians and researchers, and professionals in the biotech field to fulfil CHI’s mission to find better treatments, prevent death and brain damage, and support HI families every step of the way. Emmanuel Paul is an immigrant from Haiti. He is a Journalist. A cancer survivor. Emmanuel is a graduate student at Harvard Division of Continuing Education. He graduated in Accounting and Finance at Northeastern University. He also hold a double bachelors in Anthropology and Sociology at the Haiti State University. Emmanuel is the founder of CaribbeanTelevisionNetwork, an online news media serving immigrant communities from the Caribbean in the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 October 2024

It’s not always easy to make friends, but in this week’s episode, both of our storytellers take us on heartwarming and sometimes unexpected journeys to find true friendship and meaningful connections. Part 1: Eva Chebishev gets voted “Most Organized” in first grade and struggles to fit in with her peers. Part 2: Morgan Roberts is worried about how people will see her if she enters a high school math competition. Eva Chebishev (she/her) is a microbiology PhD candidate in the lab of Dr. Ana Fernandez-Sesma at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS). Her research focuses on the immune response to Dengue virus (DENV) with hopes of creating a safe, effective vaccine that is protective against all four serotypes of DENV. When she finally finishes this PhD, she aims to combine her enthusiasm for science communication and public outreach with her life-long passion for musical theatre. To this end, she recently had the incredible opportunity to perform in the limited, Off-Broadway run of “Lifeline” an original musical which tells the story of Alexander Fleming’s discovery of Penicillin and the ongoing, rising global public health threat of antimicrobial resistance. She was also an attendee of ComSciCon-Flagship-2024, a science communication conference for graduate students, and has guest starred on the podcast “Mattsplaining” by Matthew Storrs. Outside of the lab, she performs in, directs, and produces “The Sinai Story Project”, a student-run showcase of original stories from the ISMMS student body. Finally, she is a diversity and disability advocate for equal opportunities in science and would like to thank The Story Collider for this opportunity and her Story Collider Workshop instructors for helping her find and craft her story. Morgan Roberts is a Mechanical Engineering major in her junior year at Boise State University. She is currently pursuing aerospace engineering and has had wonderful opportunities interning for various aerospace companies in the US and is hopeful to get more! She loves playing volleyball, reading, spending time with friends and family, and working in the machine shop on campus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 October 2024

This week, we're presenting stories from scientists who faced unusually difficult paths to science. We all know it's hard work to become a scientist. But for some folks, even getting to that point where you can pursue your science education can seem like an impossible dream. Part 1: When Evelyn Valdez-Ward discovers that she's undocumented, she fears her dreams of becoming a scientist are over.  Part 2: Samuel Achilefu's experiences growing up during the Nigerian Civil War inspire his passion for science.  Evelyn Valdez-Ward is an undocumented, Latina, scientist and PhD student at the University of California, Irvine. For her thesis, she studies the impact of California's drought on the ways that plants and their soil microbes (fungi and bacteria in the soil) communicate and interact with one another. In addition to doing research, she's extremely passionate about advocating for undocumented students in STEM. She recently published her story "I'm an undocumented scientist fighting for my Dream" in Science, and was invited to speak at the March for Science rally in DC to advocate for Dreamers in STEM. She has been awarded a UCI's Dynamic Womxn's Award for Outstanding Social Justice Activist, and the Svetlana Bersahdsky Graduate Student Award for her lobbying and advocacy efforts. She plans to continue lobbying and fighting for her undocumented community after graduating, and work in science policy, where she can continue to advocate for both science and minorities in STEM. Originally from Nigeria, Samuel Achilefu is the Michel M. Ter-Pogossian Professor of Radiology at Washington University School of Medicine. He also holds joint appointments as a Professor in Medicine, Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, and Biomedical Engineering and serves as the Chief of the Optical Radiology Laboratory (ORL), Director of the Molecular Imaging Center, Director of the Center for Multiple Myeloma Nanotherapy, and a co-leader of the Oncologic Imaging Program of the Siteman Cancer Center. His lab harnesses the power of light to develop methods for understanding, diagnosing and treating human diseases and is made up of biologists, chemists, engineers, medical scientists and physicists. He enjoys biking, playing tennis, and travelling. Samuel lives with his wife and they have two college-aged children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 September 2024

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers have a passion for science that can’t be suppressed. Part 1: As a zoo volunteer, Lisa Yeager adores sharing her love of the wild, but one zoo patron is ruining that for her. Part 2: Anna yearns to be a scientist, but her strict mormon family doesn’t want her to become one. Lisa Yeager started her career as an environmental educator and bookstore manager in Anchorage, AK. She shifted to build a career in project management after earning her MBA at the University of Washington. She currently works as a Program Manager for Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center where she works to bring innovation and transformational change to business practices and collaboration. Lisa built her life in Seattle after attending UW because where else are you within a day of ocean, sound, volcano, shrub-steppe, lakes and two mountain ranges? With 10+ years as an informal education volunteer at Woodland Park Zoo, she is exploring ways to translate her business background and a recent second master’s in biology to support climate change education and advocacy. She serves on the governing council for the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation, and received a Cee-Change fellowship and grant funding from the North American Association of Environmental Education. She is a previous board member of the International Applied Improvisation Network. She is the co-founder of Yes and Nature Collaborative (climateconversations.net), which combines scientific data, communication theory, and improvisational theater techniques to help people have more effective conversations about climate change and nature. Anna is a naturalist and aquatic entomologist. Going to school in Utah gave her the opportunity for a backyard mountain classroom. She got to learn about migration patterns of mule deer, moose, elk, and pronghorn through GPS collaring initiatives led by the Department of Natural Resources. Her coursework helped her learn how to identify all the plants and animals native to the desert, valley, and mountainous regions of Utah. Monitoring the restoration of a canyon after wildfires, flash floods, and debris flows bolstered her knowledge of the resilience of native flora and fauna to historical natural disaster regimes. She found purpose, love, and life in those experiences. Now Anna gets to connect to the parks and people within NYC, as well as challenge herself through a doctoral program studying the evolutionary history of stoneflies. These insects are fundamental to maintaining the health and balance of freshwater ecosystems, but many populations around the globe are experiencing substantial declines due to human interference and climate change. *For privacy reasons, Anna’s last name has been withheld. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 September 2024

Sometimes life throws a curveball and children end up being the ones looking after their parents. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share stories about times they needed to adult-up and take care of their parents. Part 1: When Saloni Singh’s mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Saloni is unexpectedly shoved into the role of caregiver and matriarch. Part 2: After her deaf mother has several strokes and begins experiencing hallucinations, Michelle Antonucci struggles to get her mom the care she needs. Saloni is known as the ‘girl in the white headphones’ because she is happiest when she is sitting in a corner, her noise cancelling headphones playing classical music, her Mac open and words pouring out of her. Those close to her will tell you that she lives life in techni-color and feels everything deeply so it’s hard not to listen when she begins to tell you about it. Saloni’s storytelling skills were first noticed when she distracted an entire wedding party with a story she was making up on the spot that combined Snow white, Cinderella and Thumbelina as one character – she was 2. She hasn’t stopped since. In her words - “I’m a corporate rat by day, introverted writer by night. Stories find me and then I try to find the courage to tell them.” She has been writing for years but has begun sharing her stories only recently at various platforms like The Moth, Fresh Ground Stories, 7 Stories and Story Sphere. This was her first story at Story Collider. Michelle Antonucci was born and raised in Greenwich Village, later moving to Queens and now Long Island with her wife Patty and dog/child Charlie. She says she is a true New Yorker, as she does not have a Driver's License! Michelle is proud to be a CODA and has spent her life assisting and advocating for her parents. She is very grateful for her wife who has been her rock throughout her mother, Karen's, health crisis. "I truly don't know how we made it through, my wife is amazing". Michelle's story of life as a CODA and the issues the Deaf experience in health care is not unique, and needs to be told again and again to elicit change. "I need to make all the tears mean something". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 September 2024

Happy National Honey Month! In honor of Honey Month, we wanted to celebrate beekeepers and the humble honey bees. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share their adventures with beekeeping. Part 1: When Julie Carrick Dalton goes to check on her bees one day, she notices something isn’t right. This story was shared at the Urban Waggle, a live storytelling event in support of the mission and programs at the Urban Bee Lab, in Somerville, MA in November 2023. Part 2: Jon Schulz thinks rescuing a neglected apiary is the perfect opportunity to expand his beekeeping business. Julie Carrick Dalton is the Boston-based author of The Last Beekeeper and Waiting for the Night Song, a CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, and Parade Most Anticipated novel. A former farmer and beekeeper, she is a frequent speaker and teacher on the topic of fiction in the age of climate crisis. When she isn't writing, you can probably find Julie kayaking, skiing, or tending her pollinator garden. Her next novel, The Forest Becomes Her, hits shelves in May of 2025. Meet Jon Schulz, a data center architect turned beekeeper. In his day job, Jon works to merge high tech subsystems to deliver consistent, reliable and secure solutions for his global customers. As a beekeeper, his fascination lies in the autonomous functions of honeybees that combine collectively to create a thriving colony. Recently, Jon and his wife Amanda launched Blackland Bees, an apiculture business focusing on honeybee rescue, education, conservation and pollination services. Jon and Amanda can be found managing beehives at local community gardens, designing pollinator landscapes for schools and churches, rescuing and rehabilitating bee colonies and supporting Blackland Prairie restoration projects. Jon received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science, while also studying business and Spanish, at the University of Texas at Austin. He is currently pursuing his Texas Master Beekeeper certification, through Texas A&M Agrilife Extension. Jon and Amanda both grew up in the Dallas area and returned in 2012, after living in Austin, San Antonio and Houston. They presently reside in East Dallas, along with their two children, and manage an apiary of nearly 2 million honeybees! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 September 2024

We're diving back into our archives to bring you some of our most memorable and impactful stories and episodes we've ever shared on The Story Collider podcast. This week, we're presenting stories about passion for science that keeps us going, even in the face of overwhelming struggle.  Part 1: When Cailin Gallinger struggles with her gender identity in college, her volunteer position in a plant lab becomes a lifeline. Part 2: In the midst of homelessness and abuse, Rose DF dreams of a life in science.  These stories do include mentions of suicide, rape, sexual abuse, physical abuse and domestic violence. In case you’d find them helpful, now or at any point in the future, we have some resources available on our website. Cailin Gallinger is a Master’s student in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Toronto. She studies the geophysical processes of planets in our solar system, from impact craters on the Moon to volcanoes on Mars and beyond, and has performed in several scicomm events in Toronto, including the LGBTQ-themed Science Slam at Glad Day Bookshop and David Hamilton’s Solar System Social. She is currently soliciting submissions for a forthcoming zine, Corona, focusing on queer and trans scientists living and working on the margins, and hopes to continue combining her passions for both science and art in her post-grad life. Rose DF is a born explorer with a passion for accessible and inclusive science and education. A first generation scientist born and raised in the Dominican Republic, currently pursuing studies in Biophysics. After opening up about her life for a feature in "Stories in Science" Rose's social media presence has increased since, and she now uses it to raise awareness in the topics of inclusivity and diversity in STEM as she constantly challenges some of the stereotypes associated with being an "non-traditional" academic and a Latina in the US. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 30 August 2024

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share their experiences with grief and how they chose to say farewell to their dearly departed. Part 1: When Sanjana Murthy misses her grandfather’s funeral, she struggles with the lack of closure. Part 2: Paul Barach impulsively decides to walk the Pacific Coast Trail to escape the grief of his girlfriend’s suicide. This story does include mentions of suicide. In case you’d find them helpful, now or at any point in the future, we have some resources available on our website. New York City based Research Coordinator Sanjana Murthy is thrilled to be here. Her lab's work at Mount Sinai (Dept of Psychiatry, Center for Advanced Circuit Therapeutics) identifies neurophysiological biomarkers to improve treatment for depression. She holds a B.S. in Brain and Behavioral Sciences from Purdue University, where she curated shows for the TEDxPurdueU stage.  Paul Barach is a writer, storyteller, and thru-hiker from Seattle, Washington. A 2013 Moth GrandSlam runner up, his stories have been featured on Risk, Out There, and other podcasts. Paul has also been a featured guest on Deviate with Rolf Potts, Backpacker Radio, Zero to Travel, and Armchair Explorer. Paul has hiked the Shikoku Pilgrimage, Colorado Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail among others, bicycled the Trans-America Trail, and most recently completed the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. He is the author of the travel memoir "Fighting Monks and Burning Mountains: Misadventures on a Buddhist Pilgrimage" and is currently working on a memoir about the Pacific Crest Trail, as well as a comedic novel about a vampire hunter who's sick of his job. Paul currently lives in Tacoma with his wife Michelle and their dog Izzy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 August 2024

Fanny, vajayjay, kitty, muff, coochie, hoo ha, lady garden – whatever you call it, in this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share weird and wonderful tales about their vaginas. Part 1: When Milly McDermott is 15, she finds a grapefruit-sized tumor growing out of her vagina. Part 2: After a guy she was dating tells Dawn Harris she has two vaginas, she can’t help but wonder what is going on down there. Milly McDermott is a cartoonist, comedian, and show runner who has ran comedy shows in both the U.S. and in China. Milly began her comedy career after being diagnosed with a rare uterine cancer at the age of 15. She now runs comedy shows in New York City and continues to publish comic strips about her life.  Dawn Harris is a theatre major from Alabama, enjoying a lucrative career in an unrelated field. She has studied storytelling at The Magnet Theater and The Story Studio. Her early years in New York were spent studying improv comedy with The People’s Improv Theatre, The Magnet Theater, and The Upright Citizen’s Brigade. Dawn has been featured on the podcasts Love Hurts and RISK! (under a mysterious pseudonym) and has told stories live with Story Collider, Awkward Teenage Years and The Armando Diaz Experience. Adam Wade highly recommends her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 16 August 2024

Defining yourself as a person or as a scientist is no easy feat. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers grapple with who they are and how they want to be perceived. Part 1: After Fernando Cuevas flunks out of college, he’s worried he’s destined to be stuck at his dead end Best Buy job forever. Part 2: When Sonia Rehal’s sister passes from complications caused by the rare disease lipodystrophy, she doesn’t know how to define herself in the absence of her other half. Fernando Leonardo Cuevas is a Theoretical Mathematician by degree, Analytical Engineer by profession, and an avid fan of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA and pointlessly hard video games. Sonia Rehal is currently an educator at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario and the director for Lipodystrophy Canada, and non-for-profit organization supporting lipodystrophy patients and caregivers. Being a lipodystrophy patient herself, her advocacy for awareness started young. Interested in understanding the pathophysiology of lipodystrophy, her postdoctoral training focused on lipid inflammation and insulin resistance in animal models of obesity. This journey has allowed her to travel the world and publish important research findings in highly cited research journals. More importantly, her academic career has given her a unique perspective to patient advocacy, highlighting how important disease awareness and research funding for prospective treatments and are for the lipodystrophy community. Lipodystrophy can vary in severity however these themes hold in common: Lipodystrophy is incurable, has inadequate medical treatment and affects multiple organ systems. Unfortunately, a severe form of lipodystrophy has affected her family and herself, losing both her mother and sister to its complications at a very young age. This loss has only further intensified her passion to support our rare disease community affected by lipodystrophy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 9 August 2024

As The Beatles famously sang: “I get by with a little help from my friends.” And the saying is just as true in life as it is in science. In fact, in this week’s episode, both of our storytellers show just how much they needed the help of their friends to succeed at science. Part 1: Months into her fly experiment Michaela Agapiou still can’t catch flies efficiently and now she’s faced with the challenge of scaling up her experiment. Part 2: In order to get a good grade in her biology class, Ashley McKelvy designs her own experiment that requires her friends to drink a cup of coffee every 20 minutes. Michaela Agapiou is a research scientist and storyteller living in London. Nowadays Michaela’s research is all computer based but she carries around a glow in the dark sperm cell keyring to remind her of her lab work days. Ashley McKelvy has lived in Arkansas, Florida, Texas and currently lives in Georgia. She is a former runner who has traded her sneakers in for cycling cleats, and she loves nerding out over her last workout. She has worked as an English teacher, a librarian, a grader of standardized tests, and she once had a career at Old Navy that lasted three hours. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 August 2024

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers discover shocking truths through genetic analysis. Part 1: When Mackenzie Brown’s adoptive father passes away suddenly from a heart condition, she is determined to find out what genes she did inherit. Part 2: Martha Buford Reiskind thought the case of her mom’s murder was closed when no DNA match came up for the single piece of hair left at the scene. Mackenzie Brown grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina and graduated with a Masters of Public Health from the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. Her graduate research focused on understanding how depressive symptoms impact disease management strategies in people with hypertension in the rural South. After a year of collecting data across the country as a Research Fellow with Stanford University, she moved to New York and worked as a Research Coordinator conducting behavioral interventions for individuals with rheumatic diseases. Now at DAC, she is interested in pursuing a PhD to explore how early birth trauma and premature birth can impact mental health across the lifespan. Martha Buford Reiskind started her undergraduate career as a theater arts and music major at a small liberal arts school in Bronxville NY, Sarah Lawrence College. At the time there were only 1,200 students and it had only recently become a coed school. After several years in what she likes to call her Liberal Arts Tour, she finished up her undergraduate work at University of California Berkeley, in Integrative Sciences. She started her Faculty Position at NC State in 2012 and conducts research in conservation genetics and teaches courses in population genetics, conservation science, science communication and science ethics. She is also a sister, daughter, wife, auntie, and mother and love those roles as much as the research and teaching she does. She directs a first-year graduate training program at NC State, the Genetics & Genomics Scholars program, and graduate training and education is one of her passions. She seeks out opportunities to combine the arts and sciences and help her students develop effective science communication, both visual and oral. You can find her near or in the water or with her hands in soil or dough. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 July 2024

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers grapple with what they can and can’t eat. Part 1: Danielle Meinert struggles to eat anything other than cheese pizza, Easy Mac and toast with butter. Part 2: Ellis Ballard has life-threatening food allergies, which makes eating, drinking and living life challenging. Danielle Meinert is a writer and recovery advocate for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). She lives with her husband and adopted mini poodles in Atlanta, Georgia. She loves food. Ellis Ballard is a creative producer, editor, director and prolific maker of creative projects. They produce the True Story London Podcast which features stories from London's vibrant live storytelling community and in-depth interviews with the storytellers. Ellis also co-facilitates True Story London's DRAFT storytelling workshops, and works with performers to direct and craft live comedy and theatre projects. Ellis's new podcast 'The Secret Podcast' is an outlet for some more unconventional audio creations that have willed their way into existence despite considerable efforts to suppress them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 19 July 2024

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share their less than straightforward paths to healthier lifestyles. Part 1: Asthma had always held Tara Turner back, but when the doctor tells her she’s officially “obese,” she decides to make a change.  Part 2: Paul Aflalo struggles with the decision to get gastric bypass surgery. Tara Turner began her journey in the fitness industry over 20 years ago. She has dedicated her life to helping people achieve their fitness goals. Tara holds several national certifications including Group Exercise, Personal Training, Spinning, and Zumba. She is also a master trainer in teaching boxing, kickboxing and kettlebell and shares her knowledge with upcoming instructors. Tara encourages people to embrace their beauty, power and wisdom within their spirit, soul and body no matter what shape or size! Paul Aflalo is Replay’s artistic director. He is a storyteller and documentary producer. He creates narrative-driven pieces for film, radio and podcasts. Paul has shared stories across Canada and parts of Europe and the UK. His focus has always been to help others share the stories that need to be told. He is also fascinated by the human unknown, take a listen to his radio documentary about aphantasia.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 12 July 2024

In honor of Disability Pride Month, this week’s episode examines personal triumphs and societal challenges of being a person with disabilities in STEM. Part 1: As a deaf person, Alma Schrage doesn’t see a place for herself in the traditional academic world of science. Part 2: After a fall leaves Jennifer Piatek paralyzed, she must rethink how she defines herself as a scientist. Alma Schrage is a bee biologist currently involved in conservation research for the endangered rusty-patched bumblebee. Deaf since birth, Alma uses American Sign Language and English. She often uses her finely honed lipreading and guessing skills to understand the sign-impaired and supports early sign language access for deaf and hard of hearing children of hearing parents. Alma often talks like a book because that’s where she learned most of her English. Her hearing aids are great for discrete Bluetooth music streaming at inaccessible conferences. Jennifer L. Piatek is a planetary scientist who studies impact craters on Mars, a college professor teaching geology and astronomy courses, and in general someone who is just trying to navigate the world from a wheelchair. These two stories have been adapted from the book Uncharted: How Scientists Navigate Their Own Health, Research, and Experiences of Bias, for the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 5 July 2024

In this week’s episode, we highlight two stories from this year's Proton Prom, Story Collider's annual fundraiser and celebration of science storytelling. Part 1: Pamela Toh is dead set on being the “bad kid” at school. Part 2: On a family vacation to Disney, Matthew Dicks becomes more and more frustrated by his daughter’s strange behavior. Pamela Toh is an aspiring writer and graduate student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai where she conducts research on how the brain and body coordinate to elicit the symptoms of PTSD. Originally from Singapore, Pamela moved to NYC after completing her undergraduate studies at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa (because the proximity to sun and surf was simply too much to bear). When not hunched over a lab bench, Pamela can be found coveting the latest LEGO sets, or in a yoga studio trying to correct her bad posture. Matthew Dicks is the internationally bestselling author of six novels and three nonfiction titles, including Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, Change Your Life Through the Art of Storytelling, and Stories Sell: Storyworthy Strategies to Grow Your Business and Brand. His novels have been translated into more than 25 languages worldwide. When not hunched over a computer screen, he fills his days as an elementary school teacher, storyteller, comedian, blogger, wedding DJ, minister, and communications consultant. He’s been teaching for 25 years and is a former West Hartford Teacher of the Year and a Connecticut Teacher of the Year finalist. Matthew is a record 60-time Moth StorySLAM champion and 9-time GrandSLAM champion whose stories have been featured on their nationally syndicated Moth Radio Hour. Matthew is the founder of Speak Up, a Hartford-based storytelling organization that produces shows throughout New England. He teaches storytelling and public speaking worldwide to individuals, corporations, school districts, hospitals, universities, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 June 2024

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share moments where they felt out of place and were very much foreigners in a strange land. Part 1: When Christine Gentry moves across the country to California, she struggles to find community. Part 2: After moving to Beirut, Lebanon from the U.S., Mary Ann Perkins doesn’t understand why everyone keeps staring at her. Christine Gentry joins BBQ on the list of good things to come out of Texas. She holds a Ph.D. in English Education from Columbia University and currently serves as a clinical assistant professor in the NYU Teacher Residency, where she directs the NYC Public Schools partnership and leads the data, assessment, and continuous improvement efforts of the program. In what little spare time she has, Christine performs in oral storytelling shows and produces/hosts shows and workshops for The Story Collider. Her writing has been published in English Journal, The English Record, and Printer's Devil Review magazines, and her oral stories have been featured on the TEDx stage, The Moth Radio Hour, and This American Life. She is also a Moth Mainstage performer and three-time Moth GrandSLAM champion. Mary Ann Perkins grew up in St. Louis County and then lived overseas–in Germany, Lebanon and Thailand–for most of the next two decades. While abroad she had two children, survived a war, left the Mormon church, completed two master’s degrees, got divorced and built a career as a United Nations editor. After returning to the United States in 2021, she founded a peer-support group for people who have lost their faith. The group meets Mondays at 7 p.m. at the Ethical Society of St. Louis. Mary Ann loves distance running, standup comedy, and poetry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 21 June 2024

Sometimes things don’t go well the first time… or the second… or even the hundredth time. But as the saying goes: if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share stories about going back to the drawing board and trying again. Part 1: As the team principal of the autonomous racing team, Madhur Behl is determined to win. Part 2: Engineer Mate King searches for a plane that crashed in the remote mountains of Idaho. Dr. Madhur Behl is a professor in Computer Science at the University of Virginia, where he conducts research in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. His primary focus is on advancing the frontier of safe autonomous systems capable of operating seamlessly in the real world. Dr. Behl is the team principal for the Cavalier Autonomous Racing team, which proudly holds the title of the leading American team in the global Indy Autonomous Challenge. Additionally, he is co-founder of the F1tenth program which has hosted numerous 1/10 scale autonomous racing Grand Prix events, engaging over 70 universities and 1000s of students worldwide. As a second generation Mechanical Engineer (in training) Mate King has spent his life asking "How can I make this work?" Whether trying to figure out how to make a motorcycle ride on water, to designing fuel delivery systems for rocket ships, his world of engineering is just getting started. His dream is to work in the outdoor space, designing cutting edge gear that allows the greatest performance possible in the most extreme conditions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 June 2024

Happy Pride Month! Science might be a bit behind when it comes to exploring sexuality and gender identity but our storytellers managed to figure it out just fine. In this week’s episode, in celebration of Pride Month, both of our storytellers share stories of being queer and proud of it. Part 1: After fully embracing their asexuality, Katherine Holmes begins questioning the necessity of a romantic relationship. Part 2: Julie Tomé is thrown for a loop when her child announces they’re “not a girl”. Katherine Holmes (They/She) is a final year mathematics PhD student at Imperial College London studying quantum mechanics, and they identify as both asexual (ace) and aromantic (aro). They have been engaging in ace and aro awareness and community building with Imperials LGBTQ+ student and staff networks and external networks including Aces in STEM and Ace Space London. https://katherineholmespublic.wordpress.com Julie Tomé is a science educator and communicator who has worked at various observatories, science centres, and museums where she shares her passion for all things science and history with folks of all ages through school programs, camps, exhibitions, and special programs. When not doing that, she can be found spending time with her family, at the karate dojo, playing board games, or doing all the crafting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 7 June 2024