SPG Members attend 2025 AAAS Annual Meeting
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting is a landmark event that brings together experts across disciplines to explore how science shapes our future. This year’s theme, Science Shaping Tomorrow, resonated deeply with us as members of the UCLA Science Policy Group (SPG), where we work to bridge the gap between science and policy. Four of us attended: Co-Presidents Erin and Natalie, External Relations Chair Adi, and myself, Kayla, former President, each engaging in conversations about trust in science, policy engagement, and the evolving role of scientific expertise in decision-making.
“Science is not separate from society and we need to stop pretending that we are.”
- Rhonda Moore, Ph.D.
Across the variety of seminars, workshops, and symposiums, a few key themes emerged:
Scientists are often not trained in how to do effective public engagement work because the incentives in academia don’t often align with goals of public engagement.
We can demand that the scientific enterprise actually work for real people by letting on-the ground impact count in academic metrics
We can learn from multiple disciplines to improve dialogue skills between scientists and the public (philosophy, the humanities, even improv):
Listening
Approaching conversations with curiosity and humility
Storytelling
Trust has to be mutual and earned between scientists and the public and policymakers. Long-lasting partnerships (either formal or informal) are key to effective working relationships.
There is an unmet desire for collaboration between local researchers and local policymakers
Scientists must become better at and more comfortable with communicating uncertainty to policymakers and the public.
It’s worth the time to foster relationships and actively participate in your communities
Science policy is a social endeavor — a “team and contact sport,” as described by Kei Koizumi (Office of Science and Technology Policy, Washington, DC)
Attending the AAAS Annual Meeting reinforced the importance of integrating science into policy at every level. Whether discussing the impact of AI on scientific trust, the role of philosophy in shaping science education, or strategies for communicating uncertainty, one theme remained clear: building strong relationships between scientists, policymakers, and the public is essential for addressing the most pressing challenges of our time.
We left the conference feeling inspired to continue this work. From organizing community engagement initiatives to equipping scientists with policy communication skills, we are more committed than ever to ensuring that science is not just shaping tomorrow—but doing so in a way that is inclusive, transparent, and impactful.
