Editorial - Making science make sense - December 2025
Science loses its power when it loses its audience. For too long, complexity has been mistaken for depth and jargon for mastery. The ability to make others understand is not a lesser skill. It is the mark of true expertise. Speaking clearly across disciplines, sectors, and societies is how science fulfils its purpose.
Every researcher has faced the challenge of explaining their work to someone outside their field. Yet that act of translation is where impact truly begins.
This Special Issue is dedicated to science communication, not as a decorative add-on to research but as an essential act of connection. In an age where algorithms amplify noise faster than truth, clarity is a form of integrity. Communicating well is how we build trust, how we make evidence matter, and how we remind the world that science is not only what we know but how we share it.
Science communication in Europe – Where do we stand
In recent years, Europe has faced overlapping crises that have tested the relationship between science, policy, and the public. Geopolitical tensions, misinformation, and growing distrust have shown that knowledge alone is not enough. How it is shared and discussed matters deeply. Openly engaging citizens in research and innovation is key to strengthening democracy and rebuilding trust in scientific institutions.
The inclusion of enhancing trust in science through citizen participation, engagement, and science communication among the European Research Area (ERA) structural policy priorities for 2025–2027 signals a renewed political commitment to these goals. Yet commitment on paper must be matched by sustained action and long-term support.
The European Commission has, for decades, invested in initiatives to bring science closer to society, from Researchers at Schools and European Researchers’ Night to the newly launched Science comes to town, which will debut across three European cities in 2026. These efforts aim to make science a visible, daily presence in people’s lives.
At the same time, the landscape of public engagement is evolving. Projects such as European Citizen Science (ECS), IMPETUS, Coordinated Opportunities for Advanced Leadership and Engagement in Science Communication in Europe (COALESCE) and Responsible tErritories and Institutions eNable and Foster Open Research and inClusive Innovation for traNsitions Governance (REinforcing), many building on the legacy of the Science with and for Society (SwafS) programme, are shaping a new era of participation and collaboration. Discussions at recent European Research Executive Agency events have echoed the same message: science communication must become a recognised and resourced part of research itself, not an optional extension.
Despite this progress, the field still lacks a dedicated framework for science communicators. Embedding science communication training in research and higher education systems would help strengthen Europe’s scientific excellence, improve public trust, and equip researchers with the skills they need to engage effectively. The planned European Competence Centre for Science Communication represents an important step towards centralising resources, sharing good practices, and developing guidance for communication in times of uncertainty or crisis.
Making science communication a daily, structural part of research will require bold governance decisions. That means recognising and supporting science communicators as key professionals in the research ecosystem, ensuring ethical and evidence-based practice, promoting participatory formats that invite citizens into decision-making, and integrating communication more closely with science-forpolicy efforts. Initiatives such as the Mutual Learning Exercise in Science Communication in R&I, led by the COALESCE project and several Member States, mark promising movement in this direction.
Inside this issue
This issue explores science communication in all its forms, from creativity to policy, from digital accessibility to in-person dialogue. Across the contributions, a common thread emerges: the way science is communicated often shapes how far it travels and who it ultimately reaches.
The conversations that follow illustrate this clearly. Salva Ferré of Eduscopi reflects on creativity and impact, showing how in-person experiences, from museum exhibits to jazz-hall talks, can reach people more deeply than social media metrics ever could. Ruben Riosa and Ashish Avasthi revisit the origins of the Around the World Webinar Series, showing how a simple idea to connect MCAA members has grown into a vibrant global exchange. From the European Commission’s Booster team, we hear how structured mentoring and exploitation support can help research reach audiences beyond academia. The COALESCE project adds another voice, showing how co-creation and training are shaping the foundation of the future European Competence Centre for Science Communication.
Across the articles, creativity and reflection take centre stage. Authors explore how art, poetry, storytelling, and data visualisation transform information into understanding. Others show how communication becomes stronger when it is built into research from the start. Projects such as Eco2Wine, Mediterranean Researchers’ Night (MEDNIGHT), and Storytelling for data stewards remind us that communication is not an afterthought but a way of doing science that values participation and transparency. Together, they demonstrate that creativity is not an embellishment to science but one of its most powerful tools for connection.
This issue also confronts the challenge of visibility and credibility in an age of misinformation. Included are articles focusing on the use of social media in science communication and language models to help with dyslexia, which illustrate how accessibility and accuracy must evolve together. Communicating online is not about being louder. It is about being more thoughtful, inclusive, and precise. Beyond the digital realm, several contributors highlight how trust also grows through human connection.
Science communication matters most when it meets people where they are. This issue’s articles also explore how communication can empower health and how a global science week could turn research into a shared experience through engagement. Moreover, an article by the MCAA Policy Working Group highlights the importance of dialogue between science and governance. Together, these contributions show that good communication enables knowledge to shape society.
Building trust through action
Other articles in this issue highlight the Science Speaks Summer School, organised under the MEDNIGHT project, which equipped early-career researchers with practical tools to tell their stories with clarity and confidence, and the Elevate Your Identity workshop, organised by the MCAA Communication Working Group with the Switzerland, Germany, Italy, and France Chapters, which invited participants to reflect on presence, authenticity and the courage to speak up. The Bridging Minds, Building Futures – MCAA Central European Meeting 2025 in Warsaw brought together researchers, policymakers, and science advocates to discuss mobility, widening participation, and the role of science diplomacy in connecting research with society. Together, these initiatives remind us that trust in science is not built by facts alone but through empathy, openness, and listening, qualities that turn communication into understanding.
Science communication, especially in its most participatory forms, builds on this same foundation. It should be seen as an opportunity to practise active listening and to learn from those who can most benefit from scientific progress but may also face its unintended impacts. Understanding these lived experiences helps us rethink how we design and communicate research, and how we position ourselves as researchers and as citizens.
These practices are not just ethical; they drive positive change. They help to address bias, co-create responses to societal challenges, inform evidence-based policymaking, and strengthen democratic values. When we listen, learn, and share with integrity, innovation and competitiveness follow naturally.
Science that listens, learns, and speaks clearly is the science that lasts.
Srishti Goyal
MCAA Newsletter Editorial Board
Joana Magalhães
Guest Editor
Science for Change