In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers build shields to protect themselves and discover what happens when those defences fail.

Part 1: As a lonely teenager searching for connection, Christopher Moncayo-Torres turns to an unlikely disguise—a giant Clifford costume—in hopes of bridging the gap between himself and the world around him.

Part 2: JP Flores has always been the family’s “smart kid,” a role that becomes his armor in college—until the pressure of living up to that identity begins to crack.

Christopher Moncayo-Torres is an Ecuadorian-American writer, actor, teaching artist and live storyteller, born and bred in Queens, NY, and new-ish to living in LA. Most recently, he performed alongside his Ecuadorian father (yes, really) in "No Sabo", an award-winning, solo-ish show about rekindling their once estranged relationship, despite their language barrier. He's now working on a live-ish cooking show with his mother. He also hosts the monthly storytelling-workshop show, Fail Better Story Time at Studious Coworking Space in LA's Chinatown. More info can be found at www.failbetterarts.com He's an instructor and host for The Moth. He's also a 3x Moth StorySLAM winner who has been featured on The Moth Radio Hour podcast.

JP Flores recently completed his PhD in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology from UNC Chapel Hill, where he studied how DNA folds in 3D space to control when, where, and why genes turn on. He calls this the origami of gene regulation. Originally from Los Angeles, he's also pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Innovation for the Public Good, blending his love for bridging science and society. He’s a HHMI Gilliam Fellow, a podcast host (From Where Does It STEM?, a Spotify Next Wave Award winner), and is passionate about turning science communication into community connection. He is also a co-founder of the nonprofit organization, Science For Good. Outside the lab, JP plays guitar and gigs around North Carolina, and lives with his very opinionated and stubborn wiener dog, Vienna. As a first-gen college student, he’s driven to make science more community-centered and for the public good.

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Oxygen sustains almost every living thing on the planet and the air we breathe is meant to be invisible. But industrialization has changed that. In many cities around the world, the air is no longer clean. Polluted air affects our health, contributes to rising global temperatures, and harms ecosystems in ways we are only beginning to fully understand.

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share how polluted air shaped their lives and changed the way they see the world around them.

Part 1: After witnessing toxic fumes pouring from a nearby factory, Virginia Kilgore decides to take action.

Part 2: While working in Delhi, Sai Krishna Dammalapati is baffled by how unfazed people seem by the city’s severe air pollution.

Virginia Kilgore was born in Oak Cliff and raised in Duncanville, Texas. Much of her youth was spent outdoors building forts and playing in the woods. As a teenager she frequently commuted through a town near Dallas with large factories where she experienced air pollution and became aware of the wide spread associated human health and environmental impacts. This inspired Virginia’s self-funded lobby for stronger environmental regulations in Texas. Virginia traveled as college exchange student to Germany and stayed in Europe for 2.5 years before returning to study further in Texas. Virginia is certified in Alphabiotics, a wholistic brain balancing technique. She also attended Texas A&M firefighting academy at Commerce and continued there as an EMT instructor after receiving a Texas firefighting and EMT certificate. She has worked and lectured nationally and internationally on environmental justice and health related issues. Currently, Virginia is the Executive Director of Water Is Alive Inc, a non-profit organization developing solutions for organic wastes through fermentation and teaching students of all ages how to make biostimulants from agricultural wastes to improve soil and water quality. Virginia is fluent in Dutch, Spanish & English.

Sai Krishna Dammalapati is a civic-technologist and storyteller who explores the world through science and stories. He builds open data tools in areas such as air pollution, disaster management, and legal research. He writes and enacts stories and screenplays that aim to make readers kind, confident, and knowledgeable. Outside of work, he enjoys reading. His current read is Book Lovers by Emily Henry.

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Wildfires have become more frequent and more destructive in recent years, increasingly threatening communities on the edges of — and sometimes within — our cities. What was once considered a distant risk is now a reality for millions of people living in urban areas.

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share their experiences with wildfires and the ways those encounters impacted them.

Part 1: When wildfires erupt in Los Angeles, Tracy Drain’s work on the Europa Clipper mission is suddenly at risk.

Part 2: As a child, Victoria Dinov lives through a historic wildfire that stays with her long after the ashes settle.

Tracy Drain is a systems engineer who has helped to develop, test and operate a variety of robotic spacecraft over the past 25 years. A life-long learner, she loves encouraging people to nurture their curiosity and explore the wonders that surround us. She serves on the planning committee for the National Academy of Science’s Science and Entertainment Exchange and the advisory board for the University of Kentucky Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department. As a National Geographic Explorer, she takes audiences on a tour of our universe in her National Geographic Live show "Cosmic Adventures." In her spare time, she enjoys reading, taking long walks, watching random shows (primarily sci-fi, documentaries and Korean dramas) and studying languages - Spanish and… Korean! (If you see her on the street, please don’t hesitate to teach her a joke in either of these languages.) Tracy works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory where she is currently the Chief Engineer for the Europa Clipper mission.

Victoria Dinov is a graduate student at Stanford studying energy science and engineering. She is passionate about providing data-driven research promoting the expansion of clean energy technologies. Her experiences with climate change in her hometown of San Diego inspired her to pursue a career focused on promoting clean energy for a healthier future for all.

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Water covers roughly 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface and is essential for human survival. But it can also unleash devastating consequences.

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share tales about water — from flooding to polluted groundwater. Through their stories, we explore how water shapes our cities, our safety, and our sense of security in a changing climate.

Part 1: While researching flood risk and insurance costs in California, international student Hannah Melville-Rea is shocked by just how unprotected many people are.

Part 2: Patricia Schuba is determined to stop coal and waste pollution from contaminating the groundwater in Labadie, Missouri.

Hannah Melville-Rea is a PhD candidate and Knight-Hennessy Scholar at Stanford University, pursuing an interdisciplinary degree in Environment and Resources. Her research focuses on flood risk and examines how infrastructure decisions shape insurance costs and household vulnerability. She works closely with local agencies to translate research into practical tools that strengthen community flood resilience. Raised in Osaka, Japan by parents who hail from Australia and New Zealand, Hannah developed an early interest in how different countries tackle natural disasters. Today, she aspires to work at the intersection of science and policy to minimize the impact of climate hazards on frontline communities.

Patricia Schuba has been active in organizing and politics since 2000. She founded two political organizations that worked to give voice to working Missourians living in rural areas, and she was a candidate for Missouri State House in 2018. She was a caregiver for her father with Alzheimer's who died in 2018, and she has had T1 autoimmune diabetes since childhood. She has been the president of all-volunteer Board of Directors of Labadie Environmental Organization (LEO) since 2011 and an active member since 2009. She has lobbied legislators, trained community members to find their voice, and led a citizens' movement in Missouri to end coal and waste pollution of our water and air. The pollution related work has been mostly from the heart and has forced her to grow in ways she never thought possible. It included learning media and advocacy skills but, more importantly… showed her how the world really works and how necessary citizens are in the process.

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Climate change doesn’t happen in the abstract. It happens where we live, work, and raise our families.

In this special Story Collider series, each episode explores a different element of urban climate change — from fire and air to water and earth — through powerful, true stories from the people experiencing it firsthand.

In this episode, our storytellers turn their attention to earth, exploring the ways humans shape the land around us — and how a changing environment shapes us in return.

Part 1: While filming a wildlife documentary, filmmaker Mae Dorricott begins to notice just how profoundly human activity is shaping animal behaviour.

Part 2: For Christy Marsden, climate change always felt like a distant threat until a patch of ice brought it sharply into focus.

Hailing from Lancashire in the north west of England, Mae - is an underwater researcher for natural history documentaries and is currently based in Bristol. From a young age she was blessed with the privilege to visit her mother’s home of Malaysia where her obsession with the sea began. The coral reefs imprinted onto Mae, and from those first snorkels as a child knew that her life would revolve around the sea. During her time studying marine biology at the university of Plymouth she worked part-time at the local Aquarium, where her passion for communication was ignited. To learn more about how good communication is essential for a healthy ocean, Mae undertook a Masters in Science communication at the University of West England. Then, in 2017 she applied and was awarded the European OWUSS scholarship, which gave her the opportunity to explore the watery world like never before. This opportunity became a springboard into the industry in which Mae currently works, specializing in underwater documentaries.

Christy Marsden bikes year-round in Minneapolis, Minnesota. When she's not advocating for climate-forward policies in the city, she's working on helping people develop climate resilience in communities through her work at the University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership. Christy enjoys helping people craft their experience of climate change through storytelling as a means for science and climate communication

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This week, in honor of Women's History Month, we're presenting two stories from our archive about women in science and the unique challenges they face.

Part 1: Alison Williams' blossoming passion for chemistry is sidetracked by a professor's thoughtless comment.

Part 2: Climate scientist Sarah Myhre becomes embroiled in conflict after speaking out against a senior scientist's problematic statements about climate change.

Alison Williams is the Associate Provost for Diversity and Intercultural Education at Denison University. She received her Ph.D. in biophysical chemistry from the University of Rochester where she was a NSF graduate fellow and winner of the graduate student teaching award.  Prior to becoming an administrator first at Oberlin and now at Denison, she was a chemistry faculty member for 25 years, teaching at Swarthmore, Wesleyan, Princeton and Barnard College of Columbia University.  Her research focused using spectroscopy to determine the role of ions in shaping the physical properties of nucleic acids. Dr. Williams has been active nationally to increase access, inclusion and equity, especially in the sciences. She has received numerous recognitions for her teaching, outreach and mentoring activities.  She is a mother of two and a semi-professional oboist.

Sarah Myhre Ph.D. is a Research Associate at the University of Washington and a board member of both 500 Women Scientists and the Center for Women and Democracy. She is actively investigating and publishing on the paleoceanographic history of the Pacific ocean, using ocean sediment cores and robots on the seafloor. She is a freelance writer, grass roots organizer, and a leading voice in the field science communication. She is also an uncompromising advocate for women's voices and leadership, both in science and society. 

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This April, The Story Collider presents a special series on urban climate change.

Through eight true, personal stories about science, we explore how the forces shaping our planet — earth, water, fire, and air — show up in the places most of us actually live: our cities.

From flooded streets and wildfire smoke to shifting ground and the air we breathe, these are the moments when climate change stops feeling distant — and becomes deeply personal.

Eight stories. Four elements. One planet in crisis.

Subscribe now and follow along all month long.

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In this week’s episode, both storytellers explore the surprising connections between dance and science.

Part 1: Learning a modern version of her childhood Indian dances puts Sumitra Mattai’s brain and body to the test.

Part 2: When people doubt that dance can empower girls to pursue STEM careers, Yamilée Toussaint sets out to prove them wrong.

Sumitra Mattai is a writer, storyteller and textile designer. She holds a BFA in Textile Design from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. Her essays have been published in Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, and Lit Magazine, among others. She lives in Harlem with her family.

Yamilée Toussaint is the Founder & CEO of STEM From Dance, which empowers girls with the skills, experiences, and confidence to pursue careers in STEM through the transformative power of dance. Combining her background in engineering, education, and a lifelong passion for dance, she started the program in 2012 to inspire girls of color to pursue STEM careers. Yamilée holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and a M.S. in Teaching from Pace University. She has earned numerous accolades, including the MIT MLK Leadership Award, Teach For America's Social Innovation Award, AnitaB.org's Educational Innovation Award, Falling Walls Foundation Science Engagement Breakthrough of the Year, and a 2024 Top 5 CNN Hero.

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In this week’s episode, both storytellers share stories that illustrate why empathy, kindness, and humanity are essential to healthcare.

Part 1: After feeling betrayed by the very systems meant to protect her, Karen McCaffrey chooses to become the advocate for survivors she once needed herself.

This story does include mentions of sexual assault and rape. In case you’d find them helpful, now or at any point in the future, we have some resources available on our website.

Part 2: In her twenties, Mary Cyn endures a string of gynecological problems, and the lack of compassion she encounters in medical settings motivates her into changing how medical students learn patient care.

A native New Yorker, Karen McCaffrey has a BA in Economics from SUNY Oneonta and an MBA in Finance from St. John’s University. She spent her early career managing billion-dollar institutional portfolios for TIAA and later directed global treasury operations at Columbia University. She then left the world of finance to help survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. This last mission is the investment she treasures most.

Mary Cyn is a burlesque performer, storyteller, writer, and visual artist who lives in New York City. She would like to thank her vagina for financing these things.

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Hair might seem trivial, but for many of us it carries history, identity, and meaning far beyond keratin. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers explore the unexpected power their hair holds.

Part 1: Being half Navajo and half white, Carissa Sherman turns to genetics to better understand her identity. As she questions where she belongs, her hair becomes a quiet but powerful marker of how she sees herself.

Part 2: Growing up, Ria Spencer believed “good hair” meant long hair but when a medical condition forces her to shave it all off, she’s challenged to rethink what that belief really means.

Carissa Sherman is Diné (Navajo) and from Arizona. She’s a rising 5th year PhD Candidate in the Human Medical Genetics and Genomics program at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Carissa is a member of Dr. Katrina Claw’s Lab. Her current work has involved community-based participatory research gathering perspectives of genetics research as well as examining population-level pharmacogenetic variation. Her research interests include examining ethical, legal, social and cultural implications of genetic research and learning potential ways to advance inclusivity and equity in public health medicine. She is interested in science policy and/or academia. Carissa and her husband like to craft, draw, go to renaissance fairs, and have two cats; she loves horror movies!

Ria Spencer is an aspiring world traveler and wannabe foodie who’s spent years belting classic rock and sweet soul music for marginally sober audiences with her band Girls on Top. She’s also delighted to be a grown-ass woman who’s lived long enough to have some stories to tell. Ria produced and hosted Where Are They Now: The GenX Years in the New York Frigid Festival and has also appeared in the No Name Comedy/Variety Show, RISK!, Better Said Than Done, Dead Rock Stars and The Volume Knob.

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