Scientist earns money by telling tales of science – Start up “Story Collider”

“It’s all about showing that science is a part of everyone’s lives,” explained “Story Collider” Artistic Director Erin Barker, while hanging out in the Rickshaw Stop’s graffiti-walled, punk-rock greenroom. “Scientists aren’t always crazy-haired white guys in a lab coat.”

“Story Collider” was founded six years ago by two physicists who wanted to humanize science by asking real scientists to tell interesting short stories onstage in bars. The concept is similar to the wildly popular programs from “The Moth,” the granddaddy of present-day hipster storytelling. Since its New York inception, “Story Collider” has grown to host monthly shows in five big cities and produces a podcast with a following in the millions.

Barker isn’t a scientist, but she mingled among them freely. The petite, deadpan New Yorker offered an air of street cred to the proceedings. After all, Barker is the first woman to win “The Moth’s” GrandSlam storytelling competition twice. She now has the full-time job of finding the right science stories to bring to an everyman audience.

“I know nothing about science, which is really one of my strengths,” Barker said, laughing.

“The Story Collider” comes to San Francisco only once or twice a year. The show on Sunday, Oct. 30, was part of the Bay Area Science Festival, a 10-day scientific extravaganza featuring all sorts of events and activities around town. It’s like a less-famous, science-y version of Sketchfest.

I asked Barker if “The Story Collider” might ever consider regular shows in San Francisco. “Eh, maybe,” she said, adding that they’ve just started producing monthly shows in Los Angeles and anyway, they’ll be back at the Rickshaw Stop next month for the American Geological Union Conference.

As Barker looked up the date of that show (it’s Dec. 15 and it’s free), the slightly nervous, slightly science-y storytellers hanging out in the greenroom agreed that geologists were the coolest scientists. “And I’ve heard,” said Barker, “that they party the hardest.”

There is indeed such a thing as a cool scientist. There are lots of them. That’s the whole mission of “The Story Collider.” Barker doesn’t really have such a tough time finding scientists with interesting stories that they can present onstage in an engaging way. “They’re more socially intelligent than they get credit for,” she said, smiling.

Disclaimer: Sunday night’s storytellers were all excellent, but not all scientists. Julie Stoller, one of the evening’s performers, founded Story Slam Oakland. Stoller told her tale of sneaking weed through SFO to deliver to her dying mother. Journalist Erika Check Hayden shared her moving account of covering the Ebola virus in Sierra Leone.

I ended up sitting next to Hayden’s mother, who told me all about her favorite political podcasts that she devours on her daily two-hour walks. Hayden’s charming, straightforward mom seemed like the type of woman who would definitely have a grown child writing about Ebola in Sierra Leone. She sat in the front row, dripping pride.

Sebastian Alvarado, however, is a real scientist, and he was really nervous. Throughout the first half of his story, Alvarado kept his arms folded across his chest and concentrated on getting through his explanation of ant DNA. But soon Alvarado began to get comfortable in front of a bar full of strangers. His hands dropped to his sides before becoming props themselves. He was a relatable genius, a cool scientist.

It felt good to be in a room filled with friendly fellow nerds, perhaps especially on a Halloween weekend when personal tales of science don’t top the city’s hottest event listings.

“On this night when you could be dressed up in costumes or watching what may be the last game of the World Series, you’re here,” Barker said from the stage. She slipped her hands into her back pockets and smiled. “We appreciate that.”

Source @ San Francisco Chronicle