George Mason College of Science faculty member co-authors Nature commentary on public participation in science and policy

Public trust in governments, universities, and scientific institutions is declining in many parts of the world. A new Nature commentary co-authored by K. L. Akerlof, associate professor in George Mason University’s Department of Environmental Science and Policy, argues that rebuilding trust requires giving the public a more meaningful role in shaping research, scientific advice, and policy.

Akerlof joined Chris Tyler, associate professor of science, technology, engineering, and public policy at University College London, and an international group of scholars and practitioners to develop six recommendations for strengthening public participation.

“Trust is earned and reciprocal,” Tyler said. “The public will only trust academic and policy elites when they trust the public.”

The commentary, “Six ways to put the public at the heart of science and policy,” grew out of a September 2025 workshop that brought together contributors from several countries and disciplines.

The authors recommend involving the public throughout the research process, making scientific advisory bodies more participatory, recognizing community and Indigenous knowledge, communicating uncertainty honestly, expanding access to scientific advice across government, and investing in the staff, training, and infrastructure needed to sustain engagement.

They argue that public participation should not be treated as an optional addition to scientific work. Universities, governments, and research funders should build it into how research priorities are set, evidence is produced, and policy decisions are made.

“People are more likely to support and champion science advice that they helped to generate,” the authors wrote.

Akerlof said institutions do not need to adopt every recommendation at once to make progress.

“If a researcher, a decision-maker, or a member of the public walks away with one concrete action they can move forward tomorrow, it is a win,” she said.

Laura Lindenfeld, executive director of the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, said the paper reinforces the need to make communication and engagement part of the core structure of scientific organizations.

“We cannot treat effective science communication and engagement as an afterthought or bolt-on skill,” Lindenfeld said. “It must be built as core infrastructure across the organizations and industries where science is created and used so that communication becomes a strategic asset rather than a box to check.”

For Akerlof, the broader goal is to move beyond viewing the public only as an audience to persuade. In democratic societies, the public should be treated as a partner in producing the knowledge and policies that shape people’s lives.

The commentary appears in the July 2, 2026, issue of Nature.