Meet Marlit Hayslett, PhD
About 20 years ago, my career began in the field of science policy. I was a young researcher at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, and I studied how state governments could rely on science to develop their economies or create benefits for their citizens.
As part of my work, I interacted regularly with state legislators from the Georgia General Assembly. My job was to connect them with scientists and researchers from universities around the state. I quickly realized the communication gap between the policymakers and the academics. At first, I coached my scientists in kind of an ad hoc fashion. After a few years of that, I had fallen in love with this problem and decided to get a PhD to study it in depth.
Meanwhile, my husband and I moved to Charlottesville, VA where I taught graduate students at the University of Virginia how to communicate their research in fields ranging from physics, engineering, literature, music, computer science, and many others. These students were passionate about how the work they were doing would impact the world. It was a joy and a gift to be a small part of their journey.
In 2022, we moved back to Atlanta, GA where I launched my own practice helping scientists and scholars communicate their work.
Prior to academia, my work experiences include service on a gubernatorial campaign and the Governor’s Office of Georgia. I also served as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer in Krompachy, Slovakia, teaching English. Suffering from an insatiable appetite for learning, I have a B.S. and M.S. in International Affairs, and an M.S. in Public Policy, from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a PhD in Mass Communication from the University of Georgia.
In my leisure time, I enjoy spending time with my husband Ron and traveling anywhere Delta will take us. I love recreational learning outlets such as puzzles, dreamwork, and crime documentaries. To relax I do laundry, exercise, and watch stand-up comedy. When I grow up, I want to be an intergalactic diplomat.
