Atlanta is a Science City
“As marvelous as the stars is the mind of the person who studies them.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
Atlanta is a city of curiosity and wonder, of inquiry and innovation, of biomedical miracles and engineered marvels.
We study the stars and analyze the inner architecture of the elements. We explore and cultivate life in all its biodiverse forms. We solve pernicious problems and amplify the impact of our best ideas.
We turn to science, in its expansive nature, to inform Atlanta’s policies and our personal practices. To guide our civic, community, and daily household decisions. To protect our planet and help our “City in the Forest” flourish. To light the way toward justice here in the heart of the Civil Rights Movement. To nurture our families’ health, abundance, and joy. Across science’s full breadth, in some form or fashion, all Atlantans are scientists.
From ITP to OTP and all around the BeltLine… From the microenvironments of our granite mountaintops to the Downtown Connector’s concrete valley… From Westside Park to Centennial Olympic Park to Piedmont Park, we are a city of scientists, students of science, citizen scientists, creators and makers empowered by science, people enlightened and inspired by science, and communities connected, moved, and guided by science.
Our health and wealth are sustained by biotech and fintech. Our environment and education are cultivated by environmental and social sciences. Our quality of life and cultural creations are enhanced by smart city initiatives and cutting-edge collaborations between artists and engineers. Atlanta’s present prosperity and boldest possibilities are built on the bedrock of science.
Atlanta Is a Science City
And so this month we’re launching the “Atlanta is a Science City” campaign to celebrate the many ways in which Atlanta cultivates and educates scientists and problem-solvers, contributes to the global body of scientific knowledge, and applies scientific research and discovery for the good of all Atlantans, Georgians, and the world.
In the months and years ahead, we’ll highlight Atlanta’s many diverse voices of science. We’ll tell stories of how science connects us and strengthens our communities. And we’ll share the latest news about Atlanta scientists making breakthroughs.
Science ATL’s Vision
We have a vision of Atlanta as a science city where we all celebrate the ways science and technology are fundamental to the health and prosperity of our community, and where everyone — regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic status — is included in the wonders and rewards of science.
This vision, this passion has driven us for more than a decade, since the Atlanta Science Festival was only a glimmer of an idea.
Home to the CDC, world-class universities, the wandering waters of the Chattahoochee, and the buzzing innovation accelerators of Atlanta Tech Village and Science Square, our city’s contributions are as wide as the field of science itself.
From Atlanta’s founding as a transportation hub to our present identity as a hub for technological and biomedical innovation, our city has always been a science city, and science continues to connect us, inspire us, and guide us. Let’s celebrate Atlanta, our extraordinary science city, as we all work together to create a more marvelous future.