 |
The Story ColliderAuthor: Story Collider, Inc.
Whether we wear a lab coat or haven't seen a test tube since grade school, science is shaping all of our lives. And that means we all have science stories to tell. Every year, we host dozens of live shows all over the country, featuring all kinds of storytellers - researchers, doctors, and engineers of course, but also patients, poets, comedians, cops, and more. Some of our stories are heartbreaking, others are hilarious, but they're all true and all very personal. Welcome to The Story Collider! Language: en Genres: Arts, Performing Arts, Science Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
Listen Now...
Stories of Urban Climate Change: Air
Thursday, 23 April, 2026
Oxygen sustains almost every living thing on the planet and the air we breathe is meant to be invisible. But industrialization has changed that. In many cities around the world, the air is no longer clean. Polluted air affects our health, contributes to rising global temperatures, and harms ecosystems in ways we are only beginning to fully understand.In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share how polluted air shaped their lives and changed the way they see the world around them.Part 1: After witnessing toxic fumes pouring from a nearby factory, Virginia Kilgore decides to take action.Part 2: While working in Delhi, Sai Krishna Dammalapati is baffled by how unfazed people seem by the city’s severe air pollution.Virginia Kilgore was born in Oak Cliff and raised in Duncanville, Texas. Much of her youth was spent outdoors building forts and playing in the woods. As a teenager she frequently commuted through a town near Dallas with large factories where she experienced air pollution and became aware of the wide spread associated human health and environmental impacts. This inspired Virginia’s self-funded lobby for stronger environmental regulations in Texas. Virginia traveled as college exchange student to Germany and stayed in Europe for 2.5 years before returning to study further in Texas. Virginia is certified in Alphabiotics, a wholistic brain balancing technique. She also attended Texas A&M firefighting academy at Commerce and continued there as an EMT instructor after receiving a Texas firefighting and EMT certificate. She has worked and lectured nationally and internationally on environmental justice and health related issues. Currently, Virginia is the Executive Director of Water Is Alive Inc, a non-profit organization developing solutions for organic wastes through fermentation and teaching students of all ages how to make biostimulants from agricultural wastes to improve soil and water quality. Virginia is fluent in Dutch, Spanish & English.Sai Krishna Dammalapati is a civic-technologist and storyteller who explores the world through science and stories. He builds open data tools in areas such as air pollution, disaster management, and legal research. He writes and enacts stories and screenplays that aim to make readers kind, confident, and knowledgeable. Outside of work, he enjoys reading. His current read is Book Lovers by Emily Henry.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
