The Future of Science Is Civic

A timely rallying cry for civic science, making the case that scientific research, communities, and democratic decision-making will only reach their potential if they can find new ways to connect.

Science shapes nearly every aspect of modern life, a reach that continues to expand with breakthroughs in fields including AI, quantum computing, neurotechnology, gene editing, and synthetic biology. Addressing today's most pressing challenges—and deciding what to do with powerful new capabilities—requires dialogue and collaboration among scientists, policymakers, educators, community leaders, and the public. The Future of Science Is Civic argues that science is strongest when it is developed with other parts of society rather than simply for them.

Edited by Elizabeth Good Christopherson and Alondra Nelson, this illuminating collection introduces readers to the emerging field of civic science. Contributors from across sectors, disciplines, and perspectives examine how new coalitions can repair longstanding points of stress in the relationship between science, communities, and democratic governance, unleashing their full potential for discovery, innovation, and public benefit. Bringing together leading experts in science communication, community-engaged research, STEM education, public policy, discovery ecosystems, and institutional change, the volume offers a conceptual framework for civic science and practical examples of its application across diverse settings.

As societies confront increasingly complex challenges—from climate change and public health crises to misinformation and rapidly evolving technologies—The Future of Science Is Civic provides a new and compelling vision for how science and society can work together. An indispensable resource for students, researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers, this book demonstrates that building a more inclusive, responsive scientific enterprise is essential to the future of both science and democracy.

Contributors: Gilda Barabino, Shereka Banton, Joel Bervell, Jondarr Bradshaw, Dominique Brossard, Mel Brown, Franklin Carrero-Martínez, Angela Chalk, Elizabeth Good Christopherson, Frances Colón, France A. Córdova, Christine Custis, Catherine Devine, Aslín Diaz Estrada, Mariette DiChristina, Robbert Dijkgraaf, Shannon Dosemagen, Michael Durglo, Victor J. Dzau, Kafui Dzirasa, Abigail Echo-Hawk, Kirsten Ellenbogen, Mónica I. Feliú Mójer, Sam Gill, Margaret Gordon, Janice Hunter, Amml Hussein, Valerie Ann Johnson, Thomas H. Kean, Lia Kelinsky-Jones, Eva Kubu, Melissa H. Laitner, Adam Seth Levine, Peter Levine, Vincent Martin, Evelyn Medina Bonilla, Sara Minksy, Caroline Montojo, Alondra Nelson, Sudip S. Parikh, Rajul Pandya, Shobita Parthasarathy, Laurie L. Patton, Rodney D. Priestley, Naledi Saul, Emily L. Shambaugh, Jennifer...read more...