From "Don't Look Up" to "Yes, I'll Show Up!" Public Engagement, Science, and Civic Power at 250 Years
Did you know the United States didn’t have a Planetary Defense Coordination Office until members of the public flagged that we need one?
Learn from a national network that brings community members directly into conversations about science, technology, and public policy. Featuring practitioners from Arizona State University’s Consortium for Science, Policy & Outcomes and the Expert & Citizen Assessment of Science and Technology (ECAST) network, this webinar shares how deliberative public forums hosted in partnership with science museums, libraries, and community organizations are reshaping who has a seat at the table on issues like climate, energy, public health, and even planetary defense - AND ensuring everyone, no matter their level of expertise, has a voice at the table.
Watch to:
Understand the “two Americas:” the polarized nation we see online versus the more thoughtful, nuanced public that shows up in well-designed civic forums.
Hear real-world examples of community input shaping decisions at agencies such as NASA, NOAA, the Department of Energy, and the National Institutes of Health (e.g., public dialogue that helped shape things like NASA’s planetary defense office).
Learn how “experts on tap, not on top” works in practice, including how to design processes where community members feel informed, respected, and empowered.
You’ll gain practical strategies to use in your own organizing, advocacy, communications, and civic work, including: How to frame questions that invite curiosity rather than conflict; How to recruit and support non-experts and community members; and How to use stories and accessible materials to “level the playing field.”
This webinar is ideal of anyone working in civic engagement, community building, nonprofit leadership, communications, education, or social impact, or simply interested in the future of American public life.
See the description directly on YouTube for the full list of references and resources.
