The Civic Science Media Lab (CSML) is an independent nonprofit civic science journalism collective documenting the people, organizations, projects, ideas, and lived experiences shaping the diverse practices at the intersection of science and society.
We document & analyze diverse civic science practices to inform, educate, and inspire current and next-generation practitioners, as well as broader publics.
CSML produces original reporting across video, audio, photography, and digital publishing.
Interviews, briefings, explainers, and field-facing conversations with people shaping civic science practice.
Long-form conversations and portable reflections that surface ideas, tensions, and lessons from the field.
Photojournalism that documents people, spaces, programs, and civic science work as it happens.
Reporting, research digests, essays, interviews, field notes, and analysis for practitioners and scholars.
Work at the intersection of science and society is often siloed & scattered across programs, funders, universities, museums, community groups, policy spaces, and independent initiatives.
Our role is to document this work as it unfolds in practice, surfacing lessons that can inform others across the landscape.
To learn how this work has evolved over time, explore our lab history and updates.
Learn about our history →We interview 100+ practitioners, scholars, funders, entrepreneurs, educators, and community leaders each year to understand their civic science work in context. Meet the team.
We triangulate our interviews with publicly available information to surface patterns, tensions, and emerging directions across civic science.
We map and archive organizations, grants, training programs, publications, and emerging initiatives to make the field more visible and easier to navigate.
Our work aligns closely with Rita Allen Foundation’s Pillar 1, Scaffolding for Learning and Impact , as our civic science journalism adds a layer of translation between scholars, practitioners, and community leaders.
It also advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 17 by fostering stronger partnerships, knowledge sharing, and cross-sector collaboration by making civic science insights more accessible and actionable across communities.
We envision our foundational coverage supporting the civic science ecosystem in diverse ways. Educators at high schools, colleges, and universities can integrate our ongoing coverage into their curricula to enhance civic science literacy.
Media outlets can incorporate insights from our engagements with diverse stakeholders into their journalism practice. Science engagement researchers and practitioners can stay informed on the latest developments to integrate best practices and potential collaborations.
Decision-makers at universities, philanthropic organizations, for-profit corporations, governments, nonprofits, and other entities can use the coverage to guide their strategic planning, funding decisions, and initiatives across different civic science fields.
Use CSML reporting in courses, workshops, seminars, and training programs.
Draw on field insights, interviews, and case studies to strengthen civic science coverage.
Track emerging ideas, methods, programs, and collaborations across civic science fields.
Use coverage to inform strategy, funding priorities, partnerships, and program design.
Our work is designed for those trying to understand, build, fund, study, evaluate, teach, or improve civic science in practice.
Designed with WordPress