It's a mini lab reunion! Yu-Ying Chen and Shuo Xiao interview their former mentor, Dr. Teresa Woodruff, at the SSR Annual Meeting. Dr. Woodruff, the recipient of the 2025 Carl G. Hartman Award, looks back on her career, sharing the personal story behind her biggest scientific milestones and her fierce dedication to advocacy. Hear her advice on taking "high risk" projects, what she learned from industry, why she loves teaching (from first grade to postdocs), and how a conversation by the beach led to the discovery of the zinc spark. This episode captures the profound impact of mentorship and the passion that drives a truly extraordinary career in reproductive science.