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The Story Collider

Whether you wear a lab coat or haven’t seen a test tube since grade school, science is shaping all our lives.

From heart-breaking to hilarious, The Story Collider is a live storytelling event featuring stories from people of all walks of life about how science has affected their lives.

$15 General Public
$5 for MIT ID holders

Point of Origin

Join us at the Museum for five true, personal stories about how science helps us navigate our journeys, from start to finish. Hosted by Ari Daniel and Katherine Wu.

Stories by:

Elio Challita is a microrobotics researcher at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University. Born and raised in the village of Qartaba, Lebanon, Elio was drawn to exploration and discovery from a young age, always dreaming of becoming a researcher.

In 2016, he moved to the United States to pursue his aspirations. He earned his PhD in Bioengineering at Georgia Tech, where he studied how invertebrates grapple with challenges at small scales. In 2024, he was awarded the prestigious Schmidt Science Fellowship.

Cara Giaimo is a science journalist who likes to learn, think, and write about other species. She's an alum of the MIT Graduate Program in Science Writing and her writing can be found in The New York Times, Atlas Obscura, The Planet, and a bunch of other places. Cara lives in Somerville with her wife Lilia and their two cats, Peppercorn and Poppyseed, and plays guitar in local band sidebody. Her next book, "Atlas Obscura: Wild Life", comes out in September 2024.

Jared Todd Littlejohn has been studying acting and public speaking for over 25 years now, and serves communities through a business of his own. His company, Jared Todd LittleJohn LLC, combines music and improvisation to help people in creative problem solving, sharpening his skills over at The Improve Asylum in Boston's North End. He earned his Bachelor's degree at Bowdoin College and when he's not on the stage, he is running with Black Men Run Boston in Ashmont, or scheming up ways to get to Martha's Vineyard.

Beatriz Perez is a Mexican-American computer engineer working in Massachusetts. She thrives on finding new things to try out and putting herself outside of her comfort zone. She has a deep passion for empowering women and young girls in STEM. During the weekends you'll find her traveling to a random country, crafting, working on a new project, or reading a good book.

Don Picard has worked in the Boston area for 30 years as a software developer. He holds a degree in Theater Arts and Computer Science from Cornell University, 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 allows him to exercise the other half of his college degree (and so that he doesn't become bitter).

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Beatriz Perez

Cara Giaimo

Don Picard

Elio Challita

Jared Todd Littlejohn