Opinion: The growing imperative for civic science journalism

Civic Science is a growing field characterized by its focus on community engagement and democratic action to tackle diverse challenges at the intersection of science and society [1–4]. Among other definitions, it actively promotes a two-way dialogue between scientists and communities, fostering mutual learning and shared understanding. The field is the nexus for diverse areas such as science communication, public engagement, science policy, science journalism, and others. The focus on community makes civic science a unifying framework that invites deeper dialogue and stakeholder engagement. As civic science continues to expand, there is also an accompanying need to chronicle its growth — such as understanding what the term means to various stakeholders, engaging the growing number of practitioners, spotlighting community voices and innovative approaches, discussing new research — and most importantly, analyzing both the challenges and solutions.

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Fanuel Muindi

Fanuel Muindi is a former neuroscientist turned civic science scholar-journalist and entrepreneur. He is a Professor of Practice in the College of Arts, Media, and Design at Northeastern University where he leads the Civic Science Media Lab. Dr. Muindi received his Bachelor’s degree in Biology and PhD in Organismal Biology from Morehouse College and Stanford University respectively. He completed his postdoctoral training at MIT.