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Public Engagement with Science (PES) involves conversations between scientists and members of the public where both groups learn from each other about developments in science and their applications to society. This includes: the problems that communities view as worth solving; the information society needs and wants from scientists; the potential risks, benefits, and consequences of new technologies; building and sustaining trust among stakeholders; and finding common ground and working towards shared decisions about science-related controversies.
This section of the Museum of Science website is dedicated to helping organizations working on informal science education, and other interested organizations, develop and implement Public Engagement with Science programming within their own communities. A few resources are available now. Others will be added over time.
With support from the National Science Foundation, the Museum of Science is pleased to make available a limited number of one-time $8,000 stipends to informal science education institutions who will co-create and host Public Engagement with Science (PES) activities with community, research, and civic partners as part of the NSF-funded Building Capacity for Co-Created Public Engagement with Science project (NSF DRL- 1811118). Additional travel support for two project meetings in early 2023 will also be provided.
Application and selection information:
You will also need to complete and submit a short draft budget. A blank template is available here.
For more information, watch our recent Q&A webinar here.
Applications will be due by November 1, 2022.
Partners will be notified of application decisions by early December. First stipends will be awarded in January.
Questions: please email csc@mos.org
This online guide explains the principles of PES and motivations for doing PES, information about planning and implementing PES activities and events, suggestions for evaluating PES, dissemination of outcomes, and future directions for PES. The guide is intended for museum professionals and informal science educators looking to build upon their organization’s programming. View the online PES Guide now
The Building with Biology project is a community of informal science educators, researchers, and scientists dedicated to developing innovative resources, practices and processes to build the capacity of the field to use public engagement with science (PES) activities to extend STEM learning about science, technology, and societal implications through public and scientist dialogue about synthetic biology. Through collaboration with informal science education (ISE) institutions and partnering scientists, the project has developed hands-on activities and dialogue programs to engage publics in multi-directional conversations about synthetic biology. Learn more about the Building with Biology project
Forum programs engage participants in deliberative, inclusive conversations about issues that lie at the intersection of science and society. These programs allow Museum visitors, scientists, and policymakers to share their perspectives and learn from one another. The Museum of Science has developed and hosted over 100 Forum programs on a wide variety of topics, such as nanotechnology, deep space exploration, climate and energy policy, and synthetic biology. Learn more about the PES Forum Archive
This Multi-Site Public Engagement with Science-Synthetic Biology (Innovations in Development) project is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number DRL 1421179. Any opinions, findings, or conclusions expressed in this material are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
