Unleashing Science through Storytelling: Meet the Dynamic Duo Behind ‘SciChronicles’ – Arizona State Press

In the podcast “SciChronicles,” hosts Kayla Burgher and Risa Schnebly highlight the people behind scientific discoveries. They believe telling personal stories makes science relatable.

Kayla’s love for nature started young. She spent her childhood camping and visiting the ocean, fueling her dream of studying marine life. Although she grew up in Arizona with no ocean nearby, her passion returned at ASU, where she focused on coastal fisheries during a life-changing study abroad experience. “That solidified that this is what I want to be doing,” she says.

One memorable moment for Kayla was during a turtle monitoring project. While on a boat, she heard a turtle breathing near her. “I had never heard a sea turtle breathe before. It was a deep, cavernous sound,” she recalls. That moment inspired her to work with sea turtles.

Risa’s journey began with a strong connection to the outdoors, nurtured by family hiking trips and plant lessons from their grandmother in Southern California. “I was a little environmentalist. I would tell my friends not to litter,” Risa says. Studying environmental science at UC Davis, Risa later moved to Arizona after a personal loss, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in biological sciences at ASU and focusing on extinction and environmental ethics.

In 2023, Kayla attended an event at the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference where scientists shared their personal research stories. “I had never seen that human side of science before,” she shared. Inspired, she and Risa organized ASU’s first School of Life Sciences Story Slam, allowing faculty and students to share their journeys.

Audience member Charles Kazilek, a director of the “Ask a Biologist” podcast, suggested transforming the event into a podcast. “There were about 100 people in the room, and each story matters,” he recalled. With his help, they launched “SciChronicles,” which has attracted listeners from 13 countries.

Risa and Kayla are proud of the vulnerability shown by their storytellers. Kayla noted that getting scientists to share emotions on the podcast is challenging, as science is usually seen as objective. “But more people now want to share their stories,” she said. “Even if they don’t want to go public, they can learn about themselves.”

The podcast has enhanced their careers in various ways. Risa has merged their technical writing skills with storytelling, while Kayla has improved her communication, benefiting her research and presentations. “I’ve met so many wonderful people in our community through this,” she added.

As “SciChronicles” grows, Kayla and Risa hope to continue its legacy at ASU or beyond. They aim to challenge traditional views of science, emphasizing that it’s deeply human and character-driven.