Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Buskovitz.
Dana, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I always describe myself as a scientist by training and an educator by heart. As a kid, I had a dream of becoming a Marine Biologist, but with no ocean in sight in Pennsylvania, it really was just a dream. In college, I loved sharing my knowledge and passion for science with other people. I ended up enamored with my Environmental Science and Ecology classes – Dendrology, Plan Biology, and Conservation. I always knew I wanted to teach people somehow, but that the classroom wasn’t for me. So, when I ended up with an internship in Environmental Education, teaching saltwater fishing and marine conservation down in Florida for a summer… it felt like my girlhood dream was coming true a little bit!
I was really hooked from there. Seeing the faces light up when kids, young and old, learned something new was a rush. You could see them finding their spark and developing a love for science and nature. When graduation started looming closer, I was angling for something full-time in a similar role.
That’s how I ended up in Atlanta, running Environmental Education programming in Piedmont Park. I got lucky with an awesome boss who took a chance on a recent grad who was a huge nature nerd. Working in Piedmont was actually how I encountered Science ATL. We exhibited at the Exploration Expo, part of the Atlanta Science Festival, in 2019. I had a BLAST, and I started looking into what they did beyond the festival. A year later, we worked with them on a STEM Challenge during the height of the pandemic, and I was growing more and more intrigued.
Fast forward to almost another year later, I was in a consulting role and missing education terribly, so I started looking and, of course, went right to Science ATL. I waited and waited until I saw a role open up that I thought was a good fit and applied. I met Jordan and Meisa, the Co-Executive Directors and they were amazing. When I didn’t get the job, I got probably the kindest rejection email I’ve ever read from Jordan. So, when another year later, I applied again. I said in my application, “This time around, the odds are in my favor!” I knew in that interview that we would make an awesome team.
And now I’m here! I had my one-year Work Anniversary as the Public Events Manager for Science ATL in November 2023. All of the skills I’ve developed and the passions I wanted to share show up in my job every day!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not smooth.
As a young kid I was pretty “nerdy,” a term that back then was said in a hushed tone. I collected pressed flowers, had like 100 stuffed animals, and was the Science Teacher’s Pet. It took me a while to figure out who I was and who I wanted to be. Now, I’ve learned to embrace it, and it’s one of my biggest strengths – taking in knowledge and being able to translate it and share it with other people.
When the pandemic hit, I was working for a small non-profit, and I think like a lot of people, I was worried about stability and questioning my career choice. So, in a crisis of identity, I left education all together for a consulting role. It wasn’t a passion project, but it was a good company for career growth, and on paper, it seemed like the right choice for any young professional. Eventually, I had to face that I was miserable, and I wanted to be back in my “weird job” where I did experiments and taught people about science, and built community through learning and exploration. When I left and went back to nonprofit / science education, it felt like Homecoming.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I curate Public Science Events all across the Metro Area, bringing people together through the wonder of science! Most people know Science ATL for our flagship event, the Atlanta Science Festival, an annual two-week celebration of science in March, with over 100 events all across the city for all ages. What a lot of folks don’t know is that we also produce year-round public science events like Nature Navigator walks to get in touch with nature in Atlanta or Science ATL LABS, where parents and kids bond through science, like dissecting a shark. We even hosted Science Trivia and a STEM-themed Drag Show for fellow Adult-Nerds, and a Paddle Trip down the Chattahoochee for the adventurous types.
It’s so hard to say what I’m most proud of, since it feels like choosing my favorite child from all our events. What I will say is I am so proud of the growth and variety we’ve produced in the past year. There is truly something for everyone in our event line-up. That’s what I think is most special about Science ATL and our Public Events Program – we make science a part of everyday life for everyone.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I think my communication and relationship building are most important to my success. Being able to connect to various audiences and make them all feel like they belong is super important. Beyond that, forming relationships with partners and attendees so they want to come back and bring a friend is what helps you grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: scienceatl.org
- Instagram: @scienceatl
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dbuskovitz/
- Other: atlantasciencefestival.org
