Many in the philanthropic community are expressing concern about a growing disregard for truth and evidence in American society. Rejection of scientific evidence—whether on climate change, vaccine safety, evolution or nuclear power—highlights the need to better understand the complex dynamics at work, and what can be done to strengthen the role of scientific evidence in public decision-making.

New research is uncovering the science behind effective science engagement, which has implications across philanthropy for public-interest media, civic infrastructure and informed democratic participation.

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Media Impact Funders, and the Rita Allen Foundation are partnering to host a webinar exploring the latest research on public engagement with science from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, October 24. Leading communications scholars Kathleen Hall Jamieson and Arthur Lupia will preview the results of the American Academy’s project The Public Face of Science, a multiyear, multidisciplinary effort to understand the state of public attitudes toward science and possible routes to strengthening it. Register for the webinar here.

The Public Face of Science project has convened advisory groups to investigate existing data on public attitudes toward science, map science media and other intermediaries in science communication, and draw lessons from case studies of past public engagement efforts. The Rita Allen Foundation is supporting The Public Face of Science, as well as other efforts to advance the research and practice of science communication, as part of its work to foster discoveries in their earliest stages that will ultimately improve human health, democracy and understanding. The Public Face of Science is also supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.