Engaging People Who Don’t Trust Science for Science Policy

Public discussions of science-related issues often feature considerable disregard for scientific facts. It would be easy to despair and believe that efforts to inform public decisions with scientific evidence are doomed to fail. It might seem that competing values (religious, political, and cultural) make science just another voice amidst the noise. But we can learn from past examples and current research about what works. This session provides three cases grounded in research, showing ways to build connections and to inspire trust that can lead to wiser decision-making. Each case study examines a current topic of great interest in public discussions, presenting research and reflections on communicating science for policy. Speakers consider how these examples contribute to strategies for overcoming barriers to an effective role for scientific evidence.