In a bid to get into her dream graduate school, Bethany majored in Physics. The only problem: Physics 1. Bethany reflects on what it really means to study physics—and why failing once doesn’t mean you’re not meant for the work.

Bethany Walkinshaw-Campbell is a PhD student at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and a scientist for the US Navy.

This story was performed at the Stage Room for the June 11th, 2025 SASSY show with the theme "Adaptation".

What happens when a number changes the way you see yourself? Hui Xin unpacks the science or lack thereof behind quantifying our biology as her and her family grapple with their biometric data in different ways.

Hui Xin Ng is a graduate student in the Cognitive Science department at UCSD.

This story was performed at the Stage Room for the June 11th, 2025 SASSY show with the theme "Adaptation".

Ashley's neuroscience lab course that she created was going well... until the COVID pandemic hit. As classes moved online, she had to come up with a creative solution to continue teaching neuroscience using hands on learning. Her solution taught her a lot about online learning, but also about the joys and challenges of sending her students live research subjects.

Ashley Juavinett is an Associate Teaching Professor at UC San Diego and science writer. She is also an organizer of SASSY.

This story was performed at the Stage Room for the June 11th, 2025 SASSY show. The theme was "Adaptation".