Nick Deason, while in lab one night, picks a fight with a fruit fly and disaster ensues. How will his mentor react when Nick timidly calls him to tell him about the disaster?

This story was told live at Bivouac Ciderworks on October 29th, 2025 as part of the "Little Lab of Horrors" SASSY event. Nick Deason got his PhD in molecular biology at UCSD and is a member of the SASSY organizing team.

After sleepless nights and failed PCR reactions, Teju finds solace in karate and the philosophy of persistence. Through countless troubleshooting sessions and kata repetitions, she discovers that both plants and people thrive on rhythm.

This story was told live at Bivouac Ciderworks on October 29th, 2025 as part of the "Little Lab of Horrors" SASSY event. Teju Patil is a master's student in the UCSD biological science program

Seven weeks on the Pacific Ocean collecting climate data sounds idyllic—until the snack supply runs out - a low point on the high seas. As tensions rise and a black market for potato chips emerges, one scientist discovers her inner snack pirate. What starts as a tale of rigorous science turns into a salty truth: always bring your own snacks.

This story was told live at Bivouac Ciderworks on October 29th, 2025 as part of the "Little Lab of Horrors" SASSY event. Sophie Shapiro is a physical oceanographer getting her PhD at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.