Volcanodoc—a volcanologist, professor, and Twitch science communicator—joins SciAnts_Streams to discuss both the inner workings of volcanoes and the realities of building a career in science.

VolcanoDoc explains how her research uses mineral and lava chemistry to map where magma is stored beneath volcanoes and how eruptions are triggered, offering insight into how scientists assess volcanic hazards. The discussion also explores what fieldwork actually entails, from collecting samples on obsidian flows to analyzing them with advanced geochemical tools.

Equally central is her personal story: leaving high school as a teen mother, working while raising a child, and navigating a nontraditional path through higher education to earn a PhD and secure a tenure-track position in an extremely competitive academic landscape.

This episode highlights both the technical depth of volcanology and the importance of persistence, mentorship, and access in STEAM—showcasing how science and lived experience intersect in meaningful ways.

How do you become an Egyptologist? What's it like digging through red clay? What are field excavations really like? Join us for the first segment of our 2026 Women in STEAM series where we talk with Egyptologist, archaeologist, educator, and Twitch streamer MelissainDeNile.

Joining us today is the co-host of the critically acclaimed Wildly Curious podcast, Katy Reiss. Katy holds her bachelors degree in Zoo and Wildlife Biology, and a masters in Park and Resource Management. We talk about her lifelong love of nature, work with gorillas and birds of prey, time working the Little Rock Zoo, being a science communicator, and her special relationship with Lincoln the cranky great horned owl.

Joining us today we have Dr. Jacqueline Litzgus a Full Professor of Biology at Laurentian University who holds her Ph.D in Ecology, Evolution & Organismal Biology. We talk with Dr. Litzgus about catching toads with her brother, her fascination with milk snakes growing up, teaching biology at a children’s canoe camp where she would find data that would set the course for her career, her studies into the freezing and over wintering of reptiles and amphibians, turtle eco-passage research and more.

Today we’re joined by RockItSage, a Geologist, a teacher, and one of the pioneers of science on Twitch. We discuss playing with barbies in the mud, her love for the arts, skipping school to go visit the mountains, her life changing moment in the Mojave desert, being the first in her family to earn a college degree, her journey into a career in geology and her extensive lab work.

Today we talk with Ultrasaurus, a full time content creator with her bachelor of science in biology who specializes in bioethics.

Today we talk with Creatrix_Britt, a full time art director, 3d printer, and content creator.

Today we are speaking with Today we talk with Dr. Inés Dawson who holds her Ph.D in the Biomechanics of Insect Flight from the University of Oxford.

Our guest today is CocoConfession, a full time variety streamer on Twitch who holds her bachelor of science in chemistry.

Today’s guest is Helen Anderson, a Scientific Content Liaison at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. She has a bachelor of science in cell and molecular biology and a Master of science in  Genetic Counseling.

Today we’re speaking with Dr. Elisabeth Marnik (sciencewhizliz), a Ph.D in genetics and avid science communicator.

Today our guest is Curly, a streamer, cosplayer, and long time ballerina, with her masters degree in applied mathematics with a concentration in differential equations and optimization.

Today our guest is HyJules, a content creator, first generation American and college graduate who holds her bachelor of science in Conservation Biology and a masters of science degree in Tourism with a specialty in Urban Planning and Environmental Justice.

Dr. Bálint speaks with JessCapricorn. Jess holds her BS in Biology, and an MA in Science Journalism. Bálint and Jess talked about her impressive career as a journalist, editor, fact checker and content creator.

Today we are talking to Lana_Lux, an independent game developer on Twitch, about her journey from a physics degree, to a career in web development and now a full time game developer.

Dr. Bálint sits down with P.hD physicist TinyToxicTofu, about her journey into the sciences, her career, and what it’s like to be a women in STEM.