Building Trust Through Civic Science

A movement has been building in science for about a decade. It centers on getting scientists out of their labs and into the communities their research serves. It pushes scientists to better communicate their work and why they’re doing it—and to listen to and incorporate the feedback and concerns of those communities, says Mariette DiChristina, dean of COM. The movement goes by many names, but one stands above the rest: civic science. 

Trust in scientists to act in the best interests of society declined for four consecutive years starting in 2020, according to data from the Pew Research Center, making it more important than ever to form strong bonds between researchers and the public. Civic science is a growing field of study and area of practice that works across sectors and approaches, including science communication, to strengthen those bonds.

“We can think about mistrust; we can think about misinformation. We can think about people who we would hope would embrace the solutions that basic research and applied research can provide, but aren’t,” DiChristina says. “The missing piece is civic science. I see civic science as a way forward.”

COM is beginning to blaze that path, piloting a new Civic Science Communication graduate certificate program. The four-course program—the first graduate certificate offered by the college—began in spring 2025. The creation of the program was supported by a $95,000 grant from the Rita Allen Foundation, which is spearheading a number of foundations and institutions working in civic science.

“The idea is to help folks learn how to communicate effectively to lay audiences,” says Amml Hussein, a Civic Science Fellow at COM. Hussein, whose fellowship is supported by the Rita Allen Foundation and the Feld Family Initiative in Civic Science, spent much of the past year of her fellowship designing and launching the program in collaboration with COM faculty and BU Virtual. 

This feels like the kind of program I’ve been looking for, one that helps us as communicators to think critically about how to make science and important information more accessible and engaging to the public.

Syifa Wulandari (’25)

The courses Science Storytelling (CO 610) and Engaging and Persuading Audiences (CO 611) were piloted first. Transformative Data Storytelling (CO 613) and Advocating Science (CO 614) will debut in the summer. Arunima Krishna, an associate professor in the Department of Mass Communication, Advertising and Public Relations, is teaching the pilot courses, while Hussein works on bringing more faculty on board for the official launch in September.

“This feels like the kind of program I’ve been looking for, one that helps us as communicators to think critically about how to make science and important information more accessible and engaging to the public,” says Syifa Wulandari, one of the program’s first students.

Wulandari (’25), who is working toward a master’s degree in public relations, hopes to complete the certificate before graduating in December. She received a scholarship from the Indonesian government to attend BU and plans to return home once she earns her degree. “Indonesia is a diverse country, and with that diversity comes challenges, especially when it comes to connecting people from different backgrounds,” she says. “I want to work in public advocacy and development communication, where trust and clarity are key. Being able to communicate clearly with the public, especially in communities that might not always have access to accurate or engaging information, is something I care deeply about.”

While the online pilot courses run through the spring and summer, Hussein is developing in-person experiences that will connect certificate students to the college, including a November 2025 conference she’s planning with COM’s new Center on Media Innovation for Social Impact. 

She’s also publicizing the certificate at major conferences. She spoke at the International Communicating Discovery Science Symposium in Stellenbosch, South Africa, in November 2024, the Association of Science Communicators Science Talk conference in April 2025, and at the Universities Allied for Essential Medicine in Montreal, Canada, in March 2025. She says that the civic science certificate is drawing interest not only from across communication disciplines but from scientists, medical doctors, medical students, and professionals in the legal and public health industries as well.

“At a moment when uncertainty and resistance to science are rising at the highest levels of government, these skills are not just important—they are essential,” Hussein says. “With vital scientific funding on the line and the very role of science in society under threat, mastering strategic communication is no longer optional. It is a critical tool for safeguarding the future of research and ensuring science continues to serve the public good.”