Every year, Science ATL recognizes remarkable members of our community doing work to better our city. The David B. Hartnett Award for Public Engagement with Science honors an Atlanta-based scientist or engineer who has shown excellence in their commitment to making Atlanta a “science city” by sharing science with the public. The K-12 STEM Community Builder Award recognizes a metro Atlanta K-12 educator who is enriching the STEM/STEAM culture at their school. Read more about our 2025 awardees below!
Evans Harrell
David B. Hartnett Award for Public Engagement with Science
We are delighted to announce Evans Harrell as the 2025 David B. Hartnett Awardee for Public Engagement with Science. Long ago, Evans was the first person Science ATL connected with at Georgia Tech when the Atlanta Science Festival was just an idea. As a Professor of Mathematics and an Associate Dean in the College of Sciences, he took the vision of Festival and ran with it, bringing the university on board as a founding partner.
Since those early days of helping create the Festival, Evans has poured every ounce of creativity possible into creating incredible events annually for the Festival. From partnering with circus artists to introduce Atlanta to the Science of Circus to coupling with choreographers to explore math concepts through dance, Evans has made science and math entertaining and engaging for thousands of people in Atlanta. Thanks for all you do, Evans! We can’t wait to see what ideas you come up with next!
The selected recipient for the David B. Hartnett Award for Public Engagement with Science shows passion and enthusiasm for science/engineering and shares their knowledge and excitement with public audiences. The recipient receives a monetary prize of $500, plus up to an additional $500 to support a public engagement event created in partnership with Science ATL.
This award is named for Science ATL champion and friend, David B. Hartnett. David was the founding Board Chairman of Atlanta Science Festival – now Science ATL. He was the spark that brought the Festival to life in 2014, seeing the vision of the founders and helping to make it a reality. In his everyday work, David seeks to make Atlanta a better place and sees the work of Science ATL as instrumental in creating a city that values science.
Krista Stuckey
K-12 STEM Community Builder Award
It is our honor and privilege to name Ms. Krista Stuckey of Rex Middle School in Clayton County as the 2025 recipient of the Science ATL K-12 STEM Community Builder Award. Krista has been a dedicated and enthusiastic participant in our STEM Professional School Partnership (SPSP) program, continually going above and beyond to connect her students with meaningful STEM experiences with innovative STEM professionals while herself serving as a model leader in the program.
Her dedication has shined through her involvement in the Georgia Chief Science Officers Program, where she empowers students to take charge as STEM ambassadors in their schools and communities. From building outdoor learning spaces to advising sustainability programs, she has shown there is nothing she won’t do to connect her students to real world experiences. Krista has also played a key role in strengthening educator-STEM professional connections, helping her school build partnerships that bring STEM to life beyond the classroom. Her work reflects a deep commitment to student voice, teacher growth, and real-world engagement.
Science ATL is proud to recognize Krista for her unwavering dedication to STEM education and her incredible impact on both students and fellow educators across Metro Atlanta.
The winner of the K-12 STEM Community Builder Award demonstrates leadership and excellence in implementing curricular/extracurricular activities, engaging under-represented students in STEM, increasing exposure to careers, and facilitating external partnerships to build a rich STEM community centered at the school. Each year, one winner will be selected to receive a $1000 cash prize for personal use, and their school will receive an additional $1000 to support further STEM/STEAM initiatives.
