The Power of We: New Faces, New Voices, and a New Civic Science Fellowship
APRIL 29, 2019
A reflection on the power of co-production and diverse collaboration within science as well as philanthropy as the foundation for a new multidisciplinary program focused on advancing larger goals at the intersection of science and civic life—the Civic Science Fellows

 

Learning Together at the Edge of the Future
JANUARY 17, 2018
A historical view of the interconnection between public knowledge, civil society and science—highlighting opportunities for funders to work together to: 1) convene stakeholders and mobilize resources across disciplines; and 2) strengthen dialogue, feedback loops and experimentation

Truth from Noise
SEPTEMBER 26, 2017
Reflections on the Science, Journalism, and Democracy conference, which called attention to the goal that drives both scientists and journalists: separating signal from noise. “Throughout our lives, every day, our brains are rewiring themselves as they experience, adapt and learn. So too is the case of democracy.”

How Philanthropy Can Fight a World of Alternative Facts
MAY 2, 2017
In The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Rita Allen Foundation President and CEO Elizabeth Good Christopherson calls for philanthropic action to support productive civic learning and dialogue grounded in science, evidence and truth (subscription-only content)

A Few Reflections on the Challenges of Engaging Across Divisions
DECEMBER 21, 2016
Conversations with leaders in journalism, academia, philanthropy and social entrepreneurship, exploring themes of: listening and responding to communities’ priorities; experimenting with approaches to building engagement with science, media and the democratic process; and finding common ground across divisions of profession, experience, culture and geography

Finding the Questions that Matter
DECEMBER 21, 2016
BY SHANNON DOSEMAGEN, COFOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PUBLIC LAB
The founder of the Public Laboratory for Open Technology and Science (Public Lab) discusses how to define success in civic science, how to build and scale community engagement, and how to evaluate the group’s work and share its learning