Trust in science in turbulent times

More and more knowledge is created every year, and although many citizens believe that technological advancement and science are tools for good, many also believe that the pace of change that they impose upon society is too fast, too difficult to keep up with. Science and technology are at the heart of many societal challenges, both in the present and future, but also the solutions.

The Research Forum Conference 2021 will focus on the public’s participation in science and the public’s trust in science. Citizens need to understand the major questions of science and technology in the contemporary world, because it is in the present that decisions are made, for shaping impact in the future. Solidarity, between present and future, is therefore critically dependent on the full exercise of citizenship, and ensuring that science is trusted. Therefore we have to go beyond the deficit model and engage in meaningful dialogue, not a monologue from science to society to ensure solidarity.

The sessions of the first day will focus on diagnosing the issues related to the public’s trust in science, including the digitalisation of science production and communication, as well as the growing issue of knowledge resistance. The second day will concentrate on potential solutions to these challenges, centring on innovative methods of public engagement, and the education of future generations of scientists.