AAAS provides scientists and scientific institutions with opportunities and resources to have meaningful conversations with the public.
Increasing awareness and understanding of public engagement and its benefits
AAAS participates in and disseminates research about science communication and public engagement, including:
- Working closely with social scientists to inform training curriculum in science communication and public engagement.
- Presenting talks on the value of public engagement and coordinating with colleagues at professional societies and other public engagement practitioners.
Demonstrating excellence in public engagement with science
The AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science and Technology and AAAS Mani L. Bhaumik Award for Public Engagement with Science recognize and reward scientists and engineers for excellence in public engagement.
In addition to annual events and programs, AAAS has led or collaborated with others on special projects:
- What We Know supports improved climate change communication between scientists, policymakers, and the public. The Center convened a panel of experts to develop and disseminate a report on the realities, risks, and responses to climate change.
- How We Respond significantly expands the discussion about responses to climate change begun in the What We Know initiative, focusing on how science supports communities’ work to assess and respond to the impacts of climate change, especially at the city to state level. The long-term goal of the How We Respond initiative is to help communities and decision-makers focus on solutions and take action on climate issues, grounded in both science and local needs.
- Building with Biology involves teams of synthetic biology scientists and informal science education (ISE) practitioners co-developing public engagement activities about the science and societal implications of synthetic biology.
Training scientists to engage with public audiences
The Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellows program strengthens the connections between scientists and journalists by placing advanced undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate level scientists, engineers and mathematicians at media organizations nationwide.
The Diverse Voices in Science Journalism Internship, designed for individuals with a deep commitment to extending the reach of science journalism into communities where there is currently limited participation, places students in 10-week paid internships at Science magazine.