Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexis Faust
Hi Alexis, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I got started in my current field when I was working at Princeton University in the Princeton Materials Institute and we received an NSF center grant that included funding for education outreach. That was a transformative experience for me and I became excited to pursue that work as a career. Since then, I have worked in the nonprofit sector leading organizations such as science centers, arboreta, and most recently, Science Gallery Atlanta, at Emory University. My passion is to connect communities around issues important to our future and to the health and well-being of society. I believe everyone should have equal access to information, learning and education and that this access is key to leading a productive, successful, informed and happy life.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There are always financial challenges working in the nonprofit sector. I have found, however, that the nonprofit community is also rich with individuals who are driven to make positive change and are willing to meet those challenges. It is a very rewarding environment in which to work because of those communities.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I like to think of myself as a bit of a change agent. I usually come into a situation that might need some assistance in moving forward. I like to take the time to assess it, get to know the community, and find the organization’s niche. Finding that sweet spot can be transformative to an organization and I am most proud of my work when I can transform an organization to better meet its mission and, even more critical in some respects, be sustainable long into the future.
Our most recent exhibit at Science Gallery Atlanta is a great example of meeting our mission in an exceptional way. Entitled Resilient Earth, the exhibit is an unprecedented collaboration between Science Gallery Atlanta at Emory University and Accenture. Together we created an exciting approach to conversations about climate change and sustainability and that strategy has been very successful in creating a safe space to have that discourse. It has empowered visitors to recognize their contributions to the health of our planet while discovering their own path forward to an even more resilient earth.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
I enjoy my work in the informal education field very much. It is exciting for me to see people engaged in conversations around important topics that affect our everyday lives. In many ways, I believe we have forgotten to how to talk to each other about these important issues, and my work at Science Gallery Atlanta helps bring people together in a positive way to have those conversations.
I also love being outdoors, gardening, walking my dogs, hiking, reading and horseback riding!
Pricing:
- Science Gallery Atlanta is free to the public. We appreciate a $5.00 per person donation but that is not mandatory.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://atlanta.sciencegallery.com
- Instagram: scigalleryatl
- Facebook: sciencegalleryatl
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexis-r-faust-7298631b/
- Twitter: scigalleryatl
Image Credits
Muhammad Sami, Emory ’25C
