Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Preske.
Hi Amanda , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started the business in 2007 while I was a chemistry student and needed to continue being creative outside the lab. At the time it was just handmade jewelry I sold at craft fairs under the name Circuit Breaker Labs. Eventually my science background started creeping into what I was making more and more, and I began turning circuit boards and scientific ideas into jewelry, art, and gifts.
Over time the project evolved into Because Science. Today we run a retail shop and production studio in Washington DC where we design and manufacture many of our own science-inspired products right behind the storefront; we still make circuit board art as well as nerdy (and often punny) science magnets, stickers, jewelry, and stationery. We also host hands-on science and craft activities where people can experiment, build things, and engage with science in a creative, crafty way. Wanna make dinosaur themed slime or build a catapult to launch candy corn? We’ve got it and everyone (adults too!) is welcome to experiment.
It’s still basically the same formula it started with: take science, make it fun or funny, and turn it into things people can actually interact with.
Alright, 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?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Like a lot of small businesses, there have been plenty of moments where things felt uncertain, especially in the early years when it was just me figuring things out one experiment at a time. Anything from figuring how to set up a website, how to merchandise circuit board art, and how to make a craft booth that can protect glass from rain and snow storms needed to be engineered or built from nothing and then improved year after year.
Opening a brick-and-mortar shop added a whole new layer of complexity. Suddenly I wasn’t just making products, I was managing a massive inventory, building a team, running events, and keeping the lights on in a physical space with astronomical rent. Retail can be unpredictable, and you learn quickly that every decision from what you make and what you stock to how you price things and when all those things happen, matters.
But a lot of the challenges have also pushed the business in good directions. When something doesn’t work, we treat it like a failed experiment: look at the data and figure out what went wrong, adjust the variables, and try again. That mindset has helped us keep evolving and building something that feels meaningful to our team and to our community.
We’ve been impressed with Because Science, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Because Science is a science-themed gift shop and production studio where we design and manufacture many of our own products in-house. You can walk into the store and see the space where we are making things. We can point to a lot of things that we make, as well as products made by regional artists, since sourcing locally is just as important as shopping locally.
We’re known for products that scientists instantly recognize, things like jewelry based on satellites, neurotransmitter molecules, bacteriophages, or mathematical concepts. A lot of our work also uses reclaimed circuit boards, turning old electronics into colorful art and custom pieces. We love when someone walks in, points to something, and says “Wait… is that a Klein bottle?” or “That’s a dry line!”
What really sets us apart is that we combine retail with hands-on STEAM experiences. In addition to the shop, we run a space called the Craft Lab where people can participate in science and craft activities, everything from creative workshops to family-friendly science festivals. The goal is to make science something you can interact with, not just read about.
Brand-wise, what we’re most proud of is creating a space where science feels welcoming and inclusive. We intentionally highlight women, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC scientists and artists, because representation matters in STEM. Our whole philosophy is that science belongs to everyone—and it should be fun, creative, and a little playful too.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Curiosity. The whole business started because I was curious about what would happen if I combined circuit boards with epoxy resin. That same mindset still drives everything we do.
Running a small business means constantly experimenting including trying new products, testing ideas, and learning from what works and what doesn’t. Having a scientific background helps because I tend to approach problems like experiments: change a variable, observe the results, iterate.
That curiosity also extends to the people we serve. Scientists, students, artists, and curious kids all come through the shop, and being genuinely interested in what excites them helps us keep creating things that resonate with our community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://becausesciencedc.com/
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/BecauseScience_DC
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CircuitBreakerLabs
- Twitter: https://x.com/becausexscience
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/because-science-washington
- Other: https://share.google/DlKUXf0IVpaANRAj7
