Bridging Science with Society: Defining Pathways for Engagement

Science communication training organizations, are uniquely positioned at the nexus of science and society. Through research and training, they empower scientists to engage with the public to ultimately improve how science informs decision-making processes at the individual, organizational, and community levels. This paper argues that science communication training organizations must unite to provide a comprehensive and exhaustive set of offerings that empower scientists to master foundational communication skills while recognizing the complete social and cultural systems in which their science communication occurs. We present three separate possible pathways training programs could take, depending on the contexts and audiences for engagement. We differentiate between the goals, sites, and audiences for engagement, and the forms of knowledge or preparation needed for productive engagement.