In this interview, Jason Pridmore, Associate Professor at the Erasmus University Rotterdam, reflects on the need for effective science communication. He also explains the context and goals of the ‘Coordinated Opportunities for Advanced Leadership and Engagement in Science Communication in Europe’ (COALESCE) project that he is coordinating.
How did you become interested in science communication?
TRESCA focussed on combating fake news and misinformation around science research from a social sciences perspective. It was one of eight Horizon 2020 funded projects related to science communication. The project teams have met several times and we work really well together. We all work on different aspects of science communication but share the same goals. COALESCE is the result of joining forces and applying for the Horizon Europe call to establish a European Competence Centre for science communication.
The project aims to bridge the gap between science research and societal needs, build public trust in science, use citizen science to reach different types of audiences, mobilise science communication in times of crisis and support the professionalisation of science communication. We are doing this by consolidating the knowledge from past science communication projects and building a Competence Centre as a reference platform for high-quality science communication.
How is the development of the Competence Centre progressing?
Jason Pridmore: We’ve launched the virtual platform and in September 2025 we will be launching a series of interactive science communication tools. We are also building a science communication academy that will host training events and act as a clearing house for ideas and resources.
It is worth noting that COALESCE integrates Higher Education providers with SMEs. The project is co-coordinated with Science for Change, a social enterprise based in Barcelona, and each work package is co-led by an academic institution and a company or organisation specializing in science communication training and participatory practices.
We want to bring out the best in science communication research and practice from both academic institutions and SMEs to co-create the Competence Centre. There is an openness to cooperate and learn from each other. For example, I was speaking with colleagues in Sweden who are happy to share their experience of building, and best practice using, a matchmaking tool that connects journalists with scientists so that we can make it Europe wide.
We are trying to cover all aspects of science communication so we need to draw on the strengths of the community, and not just across topics (such as AI, data science, climate change…) but across countries as well. COALESCE has 13 partners in 8 countries. To broaden our impact and reach, we are coordinating the establishment of a network of national and regional hubs that will physically represent the Competence Centre in each member state and contribute to disseminate what we do as COALESCE.
Inspired by mutual learning exercises by the Joint Research Centre we are inviting representatives from each member state to discuss the best ways to sustain support for science communication and evidence-informed policy making.
We don’t want to be ‘the’ site but we definitely want to be ‘a’ site that has lots of great science communication resources for everyone, from researchers to funding bodies looking for different types of training materials or to connect with trainers and facilitators, so that experiences that are happening in places in Europe that are more advanced can be shared with those that are just starting out. I genuinely believe that we have some real opportunities here.
What are your priorities over the next year?
Jason Pridmore: We have just launched the crisis navigator, an interactive guide to support the rapid mobilisation of science communication in times of crisis, and we are testing a series of trainings events for the academy.
In 2025 we will launch the scicomm toolbox, with resources such as a matchmaking tool, and integrate work from the ENJOI project on Standards, Principles and Indicators (SPIs) for Outstanding Open Science Communication. We will also be making policy recommendations on relevant topics such as science communication requirements to funding bodies and use of AI within science communication practice.
Another key priority is to make the Competence Centre sustainable. We are working closely with university alliances, research centres and independent funders to come up with a business model that ensures continuity after the project ends in 2027.
What are the biggest challenges for science communicators in Europe?
Jason Pridmore: I think that the challenge for us as science communicators is knowing how to make use of the resources we have and reaching diverse audiences as we often end up preaching to the choir.
I don’t think we’ll ever convert sceptics, but they end up taking so much time and energy in mediated discussions that people think they hold majority opinions. For example, although repeated public surveys in Europe indicate that people’s trust in science is high, it doesn’t ring true!
Dissent and concerns can be appropriate at different times, but we want to ensure that we address them with ‘good’ science.
How is success measured in science communication?
Jason Pridmore: There are no tools to measure the effectiveness of science communication. This is a big issue that COALESCE is aware of and contributing to address. We are cooperating with many organisations to establish some norms and guidelines around science communication evaluation. We currently have to rely on anecdotal evidence and some empirical evidence, which is quite limited. There is no way to systematically know if our news piece, video, podcast… etc, is reaching underserved communities or leading to a change in behaviour or practice. Funding organisations are very interested in this. There is definitely more to do in this space.