The Story Collider

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: Black geneticist C. Brandon Ogbunu contemplates the role race has played in his academic career after he gets confronted by the police. Emily Winn is a NSF Graduate Rese...

A sneak peek at our new BONUS podcast for Patreon supporters! Today's episode is the first of our Behind the Scenes series. Liz and Erin are joined by Dr. Ali Mattu to discuss the TERROR of stage fright -- and how to overcome it. For more bonus episodes like this one, join our Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/thestorycollider Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

This week we present two stories from people who owe a debt of gratitude to somebody for their entrance into the science community. Part 1: A chance meeting with a stranger on an airplane has a huge impact on Melanie Knight's life. Part 2: Joshua Adams-Miller has never seen college in his future, until he receives encouragement from an unexpected source. Melanie Knight is CEO and Co-Founder of Oce...

This week we present stories from two scientists who were confronted with their status as an “outsider.” Part 1: After getting hit by a car, Ph. D. student Reyhaneh Maktoufi must navigate the recovery and paperwork as an immigrant from Iran. Part 2: When scientist Danielle Lee travels to Tanzania to study pouched rats, she finds she's more of an outsider than she'd expected. Reyhaneh is a Ph. D. c...

This week we present stories from two people finding their boundaries with the wild world of animals. Part 1: Adam Selbst competes with tigers for the attention of his mother. Part 2: Weighed down by the burden of leadership as she supervises the construction of a telescope, Erika Hamden finds comfort in an unlikely spot. Adam Selbst is a writer and graphic designer from Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He...

This week we present two stories about people who discovered a diagnosis late in life. Part 1: As a child, TC Waisman is told that she is on the autism spectrum, but her mother refuses to accept the diagnosis. Part 2: Growing up, Craig Fay develops strategies to hide how terrible he is at math. Since 1998, TC has worked with leaders in large organizations to enhance their personal leadership capac...

This week we present two stories from scientists searching for that special someone. Part 1: Zoology student Devon Kodzis's strategy of attracting boys with fun animal facts proves difficult. Part 2: Away from her boyfriend for grad school, Meisa Salaita starts to fall for a chemistry classmate who's her complete opposite. Devon Kodzis has a degree in biological sciences and professional experienc...

This week we present two stories from people who let science lead them down a rabbit hole of curses. Part 1: Science journalist Erik Vance decides to get cursed by a witch doctor for science. Part 2: After taking a rock from Mauna Loa, volcanologist Jess Phoenix starts to worry that her offering to the volcano goddess Pele was not enough. Erik Vance is an award-winning science journalist based in...

This week we present two stories from people who had to become leaders whether they liked it or not. Part 1: Eager to show off their new job testing water quality, Prof. Ound takes their friends out on a boat for the first time. Prof. Ound is a Bronx-born and raised spoken word artist, actor, writer, educator and environmentalist. Prof. Ound’s creative work is notable for its Afrocentric emphasis...

This week we present two stories about the sounds that silence can take on. Part 1: Kambri Crews attempts to smuggle a gift into prison for her father, who is deaf. Part 2: As Kristine Lycke enters kindergarten, her mother starts treatment for a mysterious illness. Kambri Crews once lived with her deaf parents in a tin shed in Montgomery, Texas. She now owns and operates the performance venue Q.E....

This week we present two stories from people telling the first time they crossed paths with science. Part 1: In the third grade, Lylianna Allala finds out that her partner on the class solar system project isn't allowed to come over to her house. Part 2: After surviving leukemia in her childhood and becoming a cancer research scientist, Vicky Forster finds herself working alongside the same doctor...

This week we present two stories about being the one who is there when it happens. Part 1: Journalist Sarah Kaplan normally covers the science beat, but when tragedy strikes in Las Vegas, she takes on an assignment unlike any she's had before. Part 2: While covering the devastating impact of an earthquake in Thailand, journalist Maryn McKenna reflects on tragedy in her own life. Sarah Kaplan is a...

In this special BONUS episode, we unveil a brand-new addition to our podcast! To celebrate, we present new versions of classic stories from Story Collider’s directors and discuss how they have evolved since their original telling. Part 1: As a marine biology student, Liz Neeley loves the order of science, but when a research expedition takes an unexpected turn, she must deal with the messy reality...

This week we present two stories from teachers dealing with wild experiences in the classroom. Part 1:   When his students keep having “accidents" during nap time, kindergarten teacher Alvin Irby investigates Part 2:  In Aida Rosenbaum’s first month as a high-school science teacher, a fight breaks out between her students. Alvin Irby received his M.S. in Childhood Education from Bank Street Colleg...

This week we present two stories about the the parts of ourselves that we keep under wraps. Part 1: At 22 years old, Jenn M is accepted to graduate school just as she discovers she's pregnant. Part 2: Studying addiction as a neuroscientist gives Anna Miller a new perspective on her past. Jenn is a public historian for the National Human Genome Research Institute where she helps with the public’s u...

This week we present two stories from people who have to prove themselves in science acedemia. Part 1: When there's an explosion in the chemistry lab, graduate student Chanté Summers springs into action. Part 2: When Adriana Briscoe's professor accuses her of cheating, she scrambles to save her reputation and her spot on the biology lab's field trip. Chanté Summers is a research chemist at Pfizer...

This week we’re presenting two stories about people trying to become parents. Part 1: After finally getting together in their forties, Chris Wade and his wife are determined to have a baby -- even if it means following some unconventional advice. Part 2: Struggling to conceive, Sara Sweet makes her third attempt at intrauterine insemination just before her family's Christmas gathering. Chris Wade...

This week we present two stories from surgeons who had complications with the knife. Part 1: A routine procedure with one of the primates in her lab becomes much more complicated when neuroscientist Paula Croxson cuts herself with the scalpel. Part 2: When surgeon Bhuvanesh Singh sees his patient back in the hospital months after what he thought was a successful surgery, he grapples with feelings...

The Story Collider is delighted to bring you an extra BONUS episode this week -- thanks to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative , a new kind of philanthropy that’s leveraging technology to help solve some of the world’s toughest challenges. Both of the stories featured in this episode were recorded a very special show we produced in collaboration with CZI last June in Aspen, about rare medical condition...

This week we present two stories from people who left home for university and discovered something unexpected. Part 1: After Kenny Kinds begins lying to his parents about his grades, he has to question why he is in engineering school in the first place. Part 2: After a tragedy, Brianna Shaughnessy discovers a different way to heal at the Great Barrier Reef. Kenny Kinds is an application developer/...

This week we share two stories from scientists who had to take on a new role with their parents. Part 1: As the scientist in the family, Steve Scott takes on a new role when his dad must undergo heart surgery. Part 2: Tajana Schneiderman struggles to live up to the expectations and sacrifices of her brilliant scientist mother. Steve is a science communicator and public engagement professional work...

This week we present two stories from people who ran into roadblocks trying to save the world. Part 1: When pharmacy professor Lindsay Acree volunteers at a local needle exchange, her beliefs about addiction are challenged. Part 2: Engineering PhD student Jeannie Purchase sets out to help a couple in rural South Carolina who have endured dirty tap water for a decade. Lindsay Acree, Pharm. D., AE-C...

This week we present two stories about people who had to accept a delay in their personal journeys. Part 1: Veterinarian Rodrigo Solis thinks he's found the perfect job -- taking care of horses in the Mexican Army -- until a new commander takes over. Part 2 : Weeks before an important performance, opera singer Laura Crocco notices there's something wrong with her voice. Rodrigo Solis received his...

This week we present two stories from people who had disastrous moments with their own genitals. Part 1: Lonely after her move to New York City, Adrien Behn finds a friend in her copper IUD. Part 2: While recovering from prostate cancer surgery, Dana Strout finds a creative solution to his incontinence. Adrien Behnis a triple threat storyteller: she is a podcaster, writer, and live story performer...

This week we present two stories from people gripped with concern for others. Part 1: When biologist Andrew Holding's new baby stops feeding, his scientific instincts are put to the test. Part 2: After finding out her mother has breast cancer, high school teacher Nakeysha Roberts Washington gets hit with the news that one of her students has a brain tumor. Andrew Holding is a Senior Research Assoc...