Dear Friends,

The way science communicates on the inside---the way scientists communicate with each other to share information---is still stuck in the 19th Century. Because of this, science doesn’t discover as much as it can, science literacy has become increasingly partisan (because scientists are portrayed as being elitists), and our vital science-based public policies aren’t as effective as they need to be at this critical point in our history. The mission of the Science Communication Institute (or SCI) is to help modernize this culture of communication inside science so we can discover more, learn more, and take stronger action now on looming threats to our world like disinformation and climate change.

We've been working on this challenge since 2011, launching a number of projects to help improve science communication along the way. Our largest project to-date has been the Open Scholarship Initiative, or OSI (see https://osiglobal.org). Since 2014, OSI has brought together hundreds of the world's top leaders in science communication to help undertand what the future should look like for vital communication practices like open access, open data and open science. You can review a summary of our policy approach here.

YOUR SUPPORT

As someone who cares about these issues and challenges, I invite you to help support SCI in 2024. We're one of the only organizations in the world (or maybe even THE only organization) that focuses on the big picture of science communication. We're also nonpartisan and researcher-focused. We follow the evidence, not ideology, and work together with all stakeholder groups---including researchers---to help improve the future of research, research communication, STEM literacy and public policy.

Our goal this month is to raise $5,000 over the next 24 days from colleagues and supporters in this space to help jump-start our 2024 plans, followed up by much more fundraising in 2024 from governments, interested businesses, and foundations. All amounts are welcome! Contributions from individuals and organizations inside the US are tax deductible since SCI is a 501c3 nonprofit public charity (meaning that most of our support comes from contributors like you).

To donate, just click on the Give Today button on this page. You can also donate through our website (www.sci.institute), or even send us a paper check through the mail. We’re also listed in GuideStar, and in PayPal’s Giving Fund, which includes PayPal, eBay, GoFundMe, Humble Bundle, Airbnb, Nextdoor, ShoppingGives, and Zakatify. Or if you'd rather do all this on your phone, just text SCI2024 to 53-555.

OUR PRIORITIES

SCI's 2024 work will focus on three priorities. First, we will begin preparing to host a global carbon dioxide removal (CDR) conference in Seattle in early 2025---a critically important meeting of the minds on this topic (see our post here for more background on this issue). This conference will bring governments, experts and stakeholder groups together from around the world to take a hard look at what policies and technologies we need to remove carbon dioxide from our atmosphere at scale, and map out how we can move from talk to sustainable action. At minimum, we hope to raise the profile of this challenge. Ideally, we also hope to provide countries with a draft roadmap for policy, infrastructure development, financing, deployment, management, and sustainability for this global effort. As we did with our Open Scholarship Initiaitve, will will build bridges to national and international policy organizations to help bolster the accountability, visibility and longevity of this important work.

Second, we will work in 2024 on ramping up our disinformation awareness training program. And third, we will continue the work we’ve been doing since 2014 to help build the future of open science policies and technologies. These two efforts are also vitally important for our collective futures---our disinformation work to help protect the future of truth, and our open science work to ensure that science is able to play the role it needs to play.

OTHER WAYS TO HELP

We are also currently recruiting new board members for our 2024-26 term. If this kind of work interests you, please email your resume/CV and a cover letter to ghampson@nationalscience.org. Our board meetings (annual at minimum, quarterly at max) are virtual. Also, there are opportunities available to help SCI by researching and writing articles, managing and piloting projects, and more. Volunteer/intern opportunities available for students in 2024 and 2025 include creating videos and managing social media accounts, building lists and curating news stories. Interested inviduals should send me an email or text me at 206-457-7248.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Until we meet again, best wishes for a happy and healthy 2024.

Sincerely,

Glenn Hampson
Executive Director, SCI
Program Director, OSI

2024 SCI Fundraiser

By SCIENCE COMMUNICATION INSTITUTE

2024 SCI Fundraiser