History of The Story Collider

In 2010, physicists Ben Lillie and Brian Wecht hosted the first Story Collider show in New York City. Ben recruited storyteller and “Very Much Not a Scientist” Erin Barker, and together, the three of them formed Story Collider as a nonprofit in 2012, with the goal of revealing the vibrant role that science plays in all of our lives through the art of personal storytelling. New York remains the site of our flagship show, but we now have Home Stages in cities around the world, as well as a weekly podcast that has been downloaded more than 14 million times. Over the years, we also developed our story coaching practice into an Education program that offers workshops, seminars, and coaching, with former executive director Liz Neeley playing an integral role in its development.

While Ben and Brian have both moved on to other projects, Erin today serves as the executive director of Story Collider and the co-producer of its podcast alongside host and managing producer Misha Gajewski.

Story Collider is proud to collaborate with partners such as the Scientist Spotlights Initiative and Boise State University on projects that examine belonging in STEM. In 2022, Story Collider was honored by the Anthem Awards for this work.

Select Media Mentions

Empowering engineering students through storytelling - The Conversation, September 2024

Forging personal connections with science through storytelling - Nature, March 2023

7 Podcasts About the Wonders of Science - New York Times, January 2021

Here’s an ‘article’ accelerator that produces the funny, dramatic side of science - Washington Post, October 2019

Select SCHOLARLY Publications

Sickler, J., & Lentzner, M. (2022). The audience experience of science storytelling: impact profiles from a Q methodology study. Journal of Science Communication, 21(01), A03. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21010203

Zaringhalam, M., Wu, K. J., Barker, E., Neeley, L. (2021, December 12). At The Story Collider, reimagining what science can be. SACNAS. https://medium.com/stem-and-culture-chronicle/at-the-story-collider-reimagining-what-science-can-be-4c57f7377312

Neeley, L., Barker, E., Bayer, S. R., Maktoufi, R., Wu, K. J., & Zaringhalam, M. (2020). Linking Scholarship and Practice: Narrative and Identity in Science. Frontiers in Communication, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2020.00035

Schinske, J., Cardenas, M., & Kaliangara, J. (2015). Uncovering Scientist Stereotypes and Their Relationships with Student Race and Student Success in a Diverse, Community College Setting. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 14(3), ar35. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.14-12-0231

Schinske, J. N., Perkins, H., Snyder, A., & Wyer, M. (2016). Scientist Spotlight Homework assignments shift students’ stereotypes of scientists and enhance science identity in a diverse introductory science class. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 15(3), ar47. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.16-01-0002