Stories

To open the October issue of the Civic Science Series, we invited Jylana Sheats (CSF 2021-23), Associate Director of the Aspen Institute Science & Society Program, to share insights on “Science at the Ballot Box,” a series of articles by thought leaders from the Aspen Institute and other leading organizations, published in partnership with Nautilus magazine, exploring what is at stake for science and science policy in the upcoming United States election and beyond. 

Dear Civic Science Community, 

As the 2024 U.S. federal election nears, the stakes for both science and society are higher than ever. In collaboration with Nautilus magazine, the Aspen Institute Science & Society Program explores critical questions at the intersection of science, policy, and the public in an ongoing series of articles in Science at the Ballot Box.

Current and alumni Civic Science Fellows, including myself, are co-authors or featured in the series, illuminating the value of interdisciplinary, boundary-spanning expertise and perspectives in discourse (and action) toward complex, deep-rooted societal problems.

One of the themes that emerged across the series is the interdependence of science and policy. In the issue’s introduction, I explain with co-authors, including Aaron Mertz, Director of the Aspen Institute Science & Society Program, that “science informs every aspect of governments’ efforts to protect the public and to improve our lives—sometimes in ways that are obvious, sometimes not.”

The power and potential for civic science appears throughout the series. In “Science for the People,” Eagleton Institute Civic Science Fellow Michael Akinwumi, his host partner Anna Dulencin, and funding partners Elizabeth Christopherson and Jon Kaye, describe the importance of civic science in exploring “ways scientists can use their knowledge to improve people’s lives, whether through policy, engaging with their local communities, or working to make science more welcoming and accessible.” The article showcases state-level civic science innovations, with states serving as vital “laboratories” for developing policy solutions that apply the best evidence to achieve local goals. As a community-centered approach, civic science facilitates collaboration—enabling communities to actively participate and shape scientific policies, bringing science closer to the people it impacts.

Throughout the issue, there is a shared understanding that collaboration is key. Equitable, forward-thinking perspectives will benefit environmental and social challenges, from creating sustainable energy solutions to building equitable AI. In my forthcoming article, “Enlisting AI for the Public Good,” I highlight ways that ethics can be embedded in the innovation process from the start and not be viewed as a “barrier” to innovation. As the need for AI professionals grows, fostering a diverse AI workforce is key to ensuring the equitable, safe, secure, trustworthy, and ethical use of AI.

Cary Funk, advisor for the Aspen Institute Science & Society Program and an expert on public sentiments on science, writes in “What’s at Stake for Science in the US Presidential Election” that science and democracy are interlinked. Strengthening them will require cultivating a culture of transparency, trustworthiness, and engagement between science and publics. In another forthcoming article, “How to (Re)Build Trust in Science,” Cary and I explore the notion that “change moves at the speed of trust.” We share insights from changemakers who have successfully built and maintained trust in underserved and marginalized communities—including that trust needs to be earned before it is given and that engagement with communities needs to be open, honest, and culturally relevant, valuing lived experiences. As an educator, community-based researcher, and science advocate, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of trust-building in today’s climate, where mis- and disinformation undermine public confidence in science. 

As Nobel laureate Frances Arnold shares in the issue, science is “our one universal language.” It has the power, she reminds us, to “help unite the country and guide us into the future we want to see.” As we consider both the possibilities and responsibilities that science brings, I hope these articles inspire each of us to advocate for a society that values democracy, fosters trust in science, and champions inclusivity and equity. 
 

Jylana Sheats
Associate Director, Aspen Institute Science & Society Program  
Civic Science Fellow, 2021–23 cohort