The Story Collider

This week, we’re presenting two stories about stressful situations in science. Part 1:  Due to stress in her personal life, TV writer Joey Slamon develops a cyst in an unfortunate place. Part 2:  As a biochemistry PhD student,  Kellie Vinal has worked hard to prepare for her qualifying exam, but when the day finally arrives, nothing goes according to plan. Joey Slamon has worked as a writer and pr...

This week, we’re presenting two stories about age, and what it means to feel either too old or too young to become a scientist. Part 1:  Miserable at her corporate job, Michelle McCrackin begins to dream of a career in wildlife biology. Part 2: Volcanologist Ben Kennedy’s attempts to be taken seriously as a scientist are undermined by his youthful appearance. Michelle McCrackin is a research scien...

In our last episode of 2018, we’re presenting two stories about facing challenges head-on and seizing the day. Part 1: .On the eve of his first big talk at a major international conference, ecologist Kevin Burgio discovers there’s something seriously wrong with the clothes he’d planned to wear. Part 2: While working as a research assistant on a traumatic brain injury study, Devine Joyce struggles...

This week, we’re presenting stories about unexpected friendships in science, whether they’re formed in the field or at Burning Man. Part 1: Looking to connect with new people, mathematician Seth Cottrell sets up an ‘Ask a Mathematician’ booth at Burning Man. Part 2:  When herpetologist Joseph Mendelson gets his an opportunity to do fieldwork in Guatemala during his first year of graduate school, h...

This week, we’re presenting stories about times when science gets in the way of love — or vice versa. Part 1: Jacqueline Trumbull is preparing for a career in research psychology when she gets a call from a casting agent for The Bachelor. Part 2: Psychologist Monica O’Neal is an expert in relationships — but in her personal life, she finds herself struggling when it comes to saying goodbye. Jacque...

This week, we’re presenting two stories about times when science got personal and research started to hit home. Part 1: After years of suffering, Phillip Comella discovers the cause of his “excessive bathroom breaks” while working on his thesis in biomedical science. Part 2: Neuroscientist Kelley Remole begins suffering from mysterious and paralyzing headaches. Phillip Comella is pursuing a PhD in...

This week, we’re presenting two stories about pivotal moments in science when everything suddenly becomes clear. Part 1: When puppeteer Raymond Carr gets the opportunity of a lifetime, to work on a big-budget show about the evolution of dinosaurs, he worries about how his creationist parents will react. Part 2: A trip to the Kennedy Space Center reminds Wade Roush of what originally inspired him t...

This week, in honor of the start of the holiday season, we're presenting stories about parents — and the ways our relationships with them intersect with science. Part 1: As a kid, Dan Souza finds it hard to appreciate his mother’s nursing expertise until he sees it in action after a series of fateful incidents. Part 2: When Michaella Thornton shares her struggles with infertility with her bachelor...

It’s that time of year — application season. So this week, we’re presenting two stories about the (literal and figurative) struggle to be accepted. Part 1: The only thing standing in the way of Jennifer Landa’s dreams of studying art in college is her grade in chemistry. Part 2: When she’s accepted into the conversation fellowship of her dreams in Washington, DC, Emi Okikawa must break the news to...

In this week’s episode, we’re presenting two stories about the science of pregnancy. Part 1: An expert in oxytocin, the hormone released during birth,  Bianca Jones Marlin is determined to have a natural birth — even as the hours of labor add up… Part 2:  Science writer Veronika Meduna thought she never wanted to have children, but in her late thirties, she changes her mind. Bianca Jones Marlin is...

This week, we’re presenting stories about our relationships with our bodies, in all their shapes and sizes. Part 1: Born without a right pectoral muscle due to Poland syndrome, John Trumbo has always felt defective, but then he discovers a possible solution. Part 2: Growing up tall and suffering from psoriasis, Emma Yarbrough struggles with feeling conspicuous — but then she discovers there’s more...

This week, in honor of Halloween, we're presenting two stories about facing fears for science. Part 1: As a newly minted PhD student in geology, Erik Klemetti starts to question his decisions when Aucanquilcha, a 20,000-foot volcano in Chile, proves difficult to tame. Part 2: Explorer George Kourounis finds himself growing increasingly anxious as he prepares to enter a fiery sinkhole known as the...

This week, we're presenting stories about times when science comes to the rescue — or not, as the case may be.  Part 1: When science writer Kate Sheridan falls in love with a man who suffers from paralyzing headaches, her background in neuroscience helps her get to the bottom of it.   Part 2: Math teacher Giselle George-Gilkes is on a trip with her students when she receives terrible news from hom...

This week, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we're presenting two stories from cancer survivors. Part 1: Gail Thomas clashes with her oncologist while deciding how to fight her cancer. Part 2: As a marathon runner, Pierce McManus prides himself on his toughness — but then he begins coughing up blood. Gail Thomas has several resumes: writer/actor/teacher/filmmaker/lawyer. She is a Moth Sto...

This week, we're presenting two stories about the power of touch. Part 1: While working on a book about the sense of touch, science journalist Sushma Subramanian experiments with haptic technology to connect with her long-distance fiance. Part 2: Nick Andersen’s type 1 diabetes begins to affect his dating life. Sushma Subramanian is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Mary Wa...

This week, we're presenting stories about times when science is just too much. Part 1: Fiona Calvert is a crier — but when she starts her PhD, she promises herself she’ll never cry in front of her colleagues. Part 2: After graduating with his PhD, Shane Hanlon struggles to find balance in his science career. Fiona Calvert is a third-year PhD student at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute where she...

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. Cailin Gallinger is a Master’s student in the Departm...

This week, we're presenting stories about the difficulties of following instructions -- whether it's medical advice or a recipe.  Part 1: Science writer Cassandra WIllyard is frustrated by the restrictions put on her during her pregnancy. Part 2: Comedian Joseph Scrimshaw is terrified of messing up when his new museum job requires him to bake. Cassandra Willyard is a freelance science journalist w...

This week, we're presenting stories about what happens when our expectations don't match up with reality. Part 1: Married neuroscientists Susana Martinez-Conde and Stephen Macknik are surprised by what they learn when they investigate deception at a psychic convention. Part 2: While working in the South Sudan, OB-GYN Africa Stewart must wait for an elder's permission before treating a pregnant wom...

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.  P...

This week, we're presenting a special two-part bonus episode featuring the stories from our June 2018 show at Caveat in New York City, as part of the Underground Science Festival. Rather than the speeches we typically hear on this topic, our storytellers -- who are both OB-GYNs and patients -- have shared firsthand experiences that cross both generations and borders, and are crucial to our underst...

 This week, we're presenting a special two-part bonus episode featuring the stories from our June 2018 show in New York City, " Abortion: Stories from doctors and patients ," which was part of Caveat's first annual Underground Science Festival . Rather than the speeches we typically hear on this topic, our storytellers -- who are both OB-GYNs and patients -- have shared firsthand experiences that...

This week, we're presenting stories about leaving home in pursuit of science. Part 1: After being raised as a creationist, Jennifer Colbourne falls in love with evolutionary science. Jennifer Colbourne is a graduate student at York University where she is currently researching raccoon intelligence. She is interested in how animals are adapting to cities, and how to improve animal-human interaction...

This week, we’re presenting stories about times when we’re overwhelmed and feeling alone. Sometimes, in science, we need help. Sometimes that help is hard to find. And sometimes it comes from an unexpected place. Part 1: As a first-year teacher, Matt Baker feels overwhelmed -- especially when his principal is less than supportive. Matt Baker is a high school math teacher at The Brooklyn Latin Scho...

This week, we're presenting stories about unconventional solutions and things that seemed like a great idea at the time! Part 1: Author Kate Greathead sets off on a cross-country drive to escape her anxiety. Part 2: After years of studying worms, Tracy Chong begins to wonder if they might hold the key to alleviating hunger. Kate Greathead is a 9-time Moth Storytelling Slam champion. Her writing ha...