Welcome to Stories in Science

– Fanuel Muindi & Jessica W. Tsai –

The idea behind stories in science is relatively simple. We are surrounded by stories in science. Stories of success, failure, fear, discovery, serendipity, collaboration, separation, inspiration, mentorship, and so much more! It is these stories that fill the classrooms. It is these stories that are shared at home, during lunch, in laboratories, offices, and even in Nobel Prize winning speeches. We need to hear these stories. It is these stories that grab our attention. It is these stories that inspire us to keep going against all odds. It is these stories that causes us to pause and reflect. Stories in science is an attempt to bring all these stories into one place so that we can share them with everyone around the world. Such stories are important especially for the young people around the world that are just starting to explore the world of science. Such stories are important for those who are doubting themselves and even for those where things are going just great. Such stories need to be shared. They should not go unheard. Many depend on such stories.

The problem so far has been that such stories have not been shared. The stories we hear about (like the NextGen initiative and Working Life from Science Magazine and ) represent a very small fraction of the number of potential stories out there. We don’t hear enough from young people in high school, college students, graduate students, administrators, and even faculty. We need to hear their stories! Even more important are those that are supporting those in the sciences. These are the spouses, mothers, fathers sisters, brothers, and so many others that play critical roles in supporting those in science.  They have so much to share about how they are supporting their family members who are in science. When put together,  we believe that such stories will be a source of inspiration for many of us that are passionate about science and its potential to make a difference in the world. In the end, such stories will remind us that we are not alone.

So what can you share? Stories need to capture important moments in your journey in science. Do you have an interesting story of how you got interested in science?  Was there a moment your mentor/teacher/professor told you something that inspired you and ultimately helped you succeed in science? Was there a moment you heard a talk or read book/paper that inspired you? Or may be there was a moment when you wanted to give up? Or perhaps there a moment when you felt alone only to find out you weren’t? Was there a moment you felt like an impostor? How did you overcome it? Was there a ‘aha’ moment as you did your experiments in the lab? Or was there a moment when none of your experiments were working? Or the story of how  that awesome paper of yours got accepted or perhaps rejected? Think about these and many other personal stories that are often never told. It is these stories that this platform is looking to capture.

We believe that all it takes is one story to inspire a generation of scientists and beyond.

Story Instructions: The goal is to share an experience in your journey or interaction with science. Then proceed to expand on how this experience impacted you and what you learned from it. We suggest you write a minimum of 300 words. Know of a story in science you read elsewhere that impacted you? You can write about the impact the story had on you too and submit it to us! Have multiple stories you want to share? This is okay too! The overall idea is to share a broad array of stories from people across all walks of science (both inside and outside of science).

This platform is supported by the STEM Education Advocacy Group based in Boston, USA. You can contact us here: scholarship [at] stemadvocacy.org