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 Debbie Mullis Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes one of our exceptional volunteers who embodies the spirit of service in science! Read more about our 2026 awardees below!
Jennifer Leavey
David B. Hartnett Award for Public Engagement with Science
We are delighted to announce Dr. Jennifer Leavey as the 2026 David B. Hartnett Awardee for Public Engagement with Science. Dr. Leavey is the Integrated Science Curriculum Coordinator for the Georgia Tech College of Sciences where she has been a faculty member in the School of Biological Sciences since 2005. She wears that hat and many more at Georgia Tech, but through it all, she is constantly thinking of fun ways to engage people with science. And she also inspires the next generation to think this way too! She is a co-instructor for the STEMcomm VIP team, a student-led research group that plans events for the Atlanta Science Festival each year.
Since Day 1 of the Atlanta Science Festival, Jennifer has brought creativity, curiosity, and fun to science engagement. From science ghost tours, to a science rock band, to a science fashion show, Jennifer has helped hundreds of people see science in new ways. We’re so happy to work with her year after year! Congrats, Jennifer!
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.
Alex Grizzell
Debbie Mullis Volunteer of the Year Award
We are thrilled to announce J. Alex Grizzell – Emory Professor and Science ATL STEM Pro volunteer – as the recipient of the 2026 Debbie Mullis Award for Volunteer of the Year. Now in its fourth year, this award honors exceptional volunteers who embody Debbie Mullis’ kindness, dedication to the community, and passion for service. Alex beautifully exemplifies these qualities, making him truly deserving of our highest volunteer honor.
For several years, Alex has brought neuroscience to life across seven different Atlanta K-12 schools and positively impacting students underrepresented in STEM. Rather than just lecturing, Alex engages classrooms with real tissue samples, 3D models, and hands-on activities that spark genuine curiosity and excitement. By helping the next generation see themselves as true scientists, his hands-on approach perfectly embodies the profound impact of our mission to build community through the wonder of science. We extend our deepest gratitude to Alex Grizzell for championing our STEM Journeys program, sharing his infectious passion for neuroscience, and ensuring that science remains open and inspiring to every young mind across Atlanta.
Debbie Mullis was one of the earliest volunteers in the history of the Atlanta Science Festival, and one of our most impactful contributors. A retired STEM school teacher who was extremely organized, Debbie took charge of turning the chaos of Expo volunteer management into a well-oiled machine. Service and volunteerism was in Debbie’s blood until the moment she passed, and we are so grateful that we can continue to honor her contributions through this award.
