Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Decker.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My husband and I grew up in Germany, and in 2002, we had the opportunity to move to sunny San Diego. We have now been here for over 16 years, and we are loving every moment!
So far, moving to the U.S. has been our biggest adventure, and we have been so fortunate throughout the whole experience. Moving to a different country where we didn’t know anybody and where we had to rebuild our lives was not an easy thing to do. But right from the beginning, everyone was so welcoming and helpful.
When they heard our accents, strangers in coffee shops and other places would ask us where we were from. When we shared that we just moved here from Germany, they would offer us advice and even help with some of the things we were struggling with, such as advice on good neighborhoods to live in, good job search resources and how to buy a car, just to name a few.
Of course, the perfect weather, the beautiful beaches, Mission Bay and all the amazing craft breweries are wonderful San Diego attributes, but it’s the people that make this place so special. We were both fortunate to find jobs we love; my husband is a creative director and I am the Adult Programs Manager at the Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park.
I manage a number of programs here, including the monthly planetarium show, The Sky Tonight; the Fleet’s monthly Suds & Science program; and a four-part series called Crossover: Where Science and Comics Meet, which examines the links between our favorite comics and the science and technology featured in them.
I have also started a program called Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar®, an event that happens once per quarter and brings scientists with different specialties to local bars for casual conversation over a beer. I’m so excited that this program has been so popular in San Diego that a number of other cities have licensed the program from us to start the program in their area.
As is the case for many people, my career path was not a straight line. I got my start as a Buying Coordinator for a German retailer before switching into customer service and later into an executive assistant role.
When moving to the U.S., I’ve held jobs as a Demand and Supply Analyst, Training and Development Coordinator, Executive Assistant and now Adult Programs Manager. If you had asked me at the beginning of my career if I could see myself working in a museum and developing and running science programs for adults, I would probably have just laughed at you.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
While I can’t say that it has been a smooth road, it has certainly been a very rewarding one. Back in Germany, I learned that the career path I wanted to take was not accessible to me. Once I moved to the U.S., I was laid off twice due to company restructuring, each time about two years into my new career.
I don’t know how I would have reacted to being laid off back home, but because I was in a different country and having to start all over again without the support of close family, I felt each time that I just had to find a job quickly. I felt that I didn’t have the time to think about what I wanted my career path to be.
I’ve loved all the jobs I’ve had, and I’ve learned so much—both professionally and personally—in each one of them. Having to go through two layoffs taught me a lot, but it took me until now to fall into a role that I am really excited about. I can finally see a clear path ahead for myself.
Fleet Science Center – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
The Fleet Science Center is a wonderful place, not just for visitors but also its employees. The Fleet has been part of the San Diego cultural community since 1973 and sought to connect people of all ages to the power and possibilities of science to create a better future. We do that through more than 100 interactive exhibits in our Balboa Park location, which are enjoyed by about 479,000 visitors a year.
We also offer on- and off-site educational programs for students, teachers, and adults that engage more than 117,000 people annually. We are home to the world’s first IMAX Giant Dome Theater, and we remain the only Giant Dome Theater in Southern California presenting breathtaking films that take you from the furthest reaches of outer space to the darkest depths of the oceans.
We are proud to have close to 10,000 member families, which is among the highest memberships of the region’s museums. We strive to be a science resource for all San Diego communities in order to make science accessible and bring the fun and excitement of science to everyone in San Diego County.
Our 52 Weeks of Science program started in the Barrio Logan community, where the Fleet helped community stakeholders and leaders to organize one free science event per week for a year. That program has since expanded to the community of Clairemont and is now in its third year.
The original program in Barrio Logan is now completely run by students from the Barrio Logan College Institute with support from the community stakeholders and leaders who helped bring the program to life in partnership with the Fleet. We are very proud of this program and our partnerships, and we are excited to see the program take root in other communities.
We are extremely excited to be spearheading the San Diego STEM Ecosystem, bringing together diverse stakeholders committed to cultivating and sustaining a robust and equitable STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) community that provides opportunities for learners of all ages throughout the region.
Through their work, the STEM Ecosystem connects local stakeholders across education, science and business sectors to ensure all students and San Diego residents have opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills they need to thrive and reach their full potential.
In my role as the Fleet’s Adult Programs Manager, I am given the opportunity to make a difference in the world. I get to remind adults that having curiosity is good. Many adults have lost the natural curiosity we had as children. But there are so many amazing things happening in the scientific and technology realms, and it’s both fascinating and important to learn about them.
Many of the advances being made in these industries will provide the solutions to the problems our society is now facing and will be facing in the future. Of course, new advances can also have some associated risks, so it’s important for everyone to have a chance to hear about the possibilities and the challenges that new treatments and technologies may pose.
It is up to each one of us to shape our future by making our voices heard; we can only do that if we have as much reliable information as possible. Therefore, it is my job is to provide opportunities for the public and the scientific community to engage with and learn from each other, making sure we all have a chance to help make our future a little bit better.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Kicking off and growing the Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar® program. Since its inception about 4 years ago, the program has become so successful that has trademarked the name.
A free license is now available to other cities and to host the program in their area and I am so proud that it has already been adopted by 3 other cities.
Pricing:
- • Adults can enjoy access to all of the Fleet’s regular exhibits as well as take in the IMAX® movie of their choice for only $21.95.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1875 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101
- Website: www.rhfleet.org
- Phone: 6192381233
- Email: info@rhfleet.org
- Instagram: @fleetscience
- Facebook: @fleetsciencecenter
- Twitter: @fleetscience
- Yelp: @fleetsciencenter
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
