Symposium abstracts

EurekAlert! Japan User Meeting (14:00 – 15:30)

[Theme 1: Education and Training]

Su Yue, Soochow University, China: Research on the Application Boundaries and Guidance Mechanisms of Generative AI in Science Communication Course Assignments

Policy hackathons originated from the hackathon code fest of the STEM field, and just like the latter, policy hackathons are innovative problem-solving events that can be used to foster inclusive and holistic policy development. They serve as a venue that encourages collaborative learning and co-creation among experts, policy decision makers, community organizations, and other relevant stakeholders towards potential policy solutions. 

One organization that hosts policy hackathons is the Development Innovations and Policy Laboratory (DIP Lab) in the Philippines. DIP Lab primarily aims to bridge the gap between research and public policymaking, transforming sound evidence from research studies, particularly in the Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources (AANR) sector into innovative policy solutions for societal development. In line with this pursuit, the DIP Lab has initiated the POLISIYA, PASYA, SIYENSYA (Policy, Decisions, Science) - a Policy Hackathon in the AANR Sector.

This paper will be tackling the two policy hackathon events conducted by DIP Lab, the first one focusing on the Sustainable Water Resources in Santa Cruz sub-Watershed, in the province of Laguna, Philippines and the second one on the Major River Basins of the Philippines. It will also discuss the process entailed in pursuing the approach, program design, including the policy analysis process that the participants employed. It will also explore insights into how policy hackathons provide a new and innovative outlook in making science-based and informed choices, and how these events could influence policy development and public discourse.

Mrunal Nagaraj Kulkarni, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru, India: Practice-led training in Science communication - A Dual approach to institutional science communication in India

At the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), India, science communication is embedded as both a practice and a form of informal training. Since there is no formal coursework or structured pathway for science communication within most research institutions in India, our approach offers a practice-led model to support capacity building and professionalization within the scientific community.

We actively involve graduate students and early-career researchers in the design and delivery of science communication projects, ranging from social media storytelling to public engagement events- where they learn how to translate their research and engage with diverse, non-specialist audiences. These collaborative experiences help them develop skills in visual thinking, public speaking, audience engagement, and narrative development, while also encouraging reflection on the broader relevance of their work.

Our science outreach initiatives span school visits, open days, summer camps, and creative media collaborations, including comics and theatre groups. These efforts aim to make fundamental life science research accessible and engaging for children, educators, and other science-enthusiasts.

By integrating hands-on science communication training into ongoing institutional outreach, we are building communication capacity from within. This dual-purpose approach—doing and teaching science communication- supports the professionalization of the field while making science accessible to the wider public.

Okumoto Motoko, Hokkaido University, Japan: Curriculum design  for science communicator training programmes in CoSTEP

Hokkaido University CoSTEP has been offering a science communicator training programme since 2005 and has produced approximately 1,400 graduates. The programme's curriculum has been continuously expanded to meet the changing needs of modern science communication. In recent years, it has been recognised that there is no single correct answer to science communication and that a combination of diverse science communication methods and objectives is necessary.

CoSTEP does not limit the purpose of science communication to a single goal but instead sets four objectives: ‘communicate,’ ‘nurture,’ ‘reflect,’ and ‘connect.’ Within the curriculum, we adopt a design approach that combines science communication methods based on these objectives. In this presentation, we will share the design philosophy behind our curriculum and discuss the advantages and challenges of this concept.

Kazaho Tsumura, Kyoto University, Japan: Assessing the impact of a zoo educational program: ‘MIKKE’ for Animal welfare

Zoos serve as educational spaces that can connect people with wildlife and environmental issues and inspire societal changes. To fulfill this role effectively, it is essential to develop educational programs that foster empathy for animals among visitors and promote respectful actions toward animals and the environment.

Since 2022, Kyoto City Zoo has implemented an educational initiative called 'MIKKE: Let's Find What Guinea Pigs Like’ with the aim of cultivating interest in animals and animal welfare. The program is designed to encourage participants to actively engage in learning about guinea pigs by designing their living spaces and observing how they interact with them. This study aimed to assess the educational effectiveness of the MIKKE program. 

From September to October 2024, we recorded and analyzed conversations from 63 families who participated in MIKKE, to examine what topics they discussed during the program. Each sentence in the recorded conversation was categorized based on its content and quantified in order to compare frequency of each category. In addition, a questionnaire was conducted to 51 groups from April to May 2025 to investigate aspects not covered by the conversation survey, such as satisfaction with the program and awareness of guinea pig welfare.

The conversation survey revealed that a diverse array of topics was covered, including appearance attractiveness, the environment in a cage and the ecology of guinea pigs. Additionally, an increase in children's responses that considered the environment in living space based on the ecology was observed in the questionnaire item on guinea pig preference. 

Considering that the participants focused on the animals’ behavior and ecology through observation, they developed a strong interest in appropriate living conditions for animals, indicating that the program's objectives were achieved.

Zhang Fangqi, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China: From Tool to Partner: Restructuring Workflows and Collaboration Strategies for Science Communicators in the AI Era

In the era of information explosion, science communicators face challenges in content production efficiency, communication accuracy, and audience coverage. The rapid development of AI technology has brought unprecedented opportunities for science communication. However, when using AI, science communicators also encounter risks such as content distortion and ethical pitfalls. This study explores how science communicators can actively reconstruct their workflows and develop effective "human-AI collaboration strategies". By analyzing the experience cases of Chinese science communicators using domestic platforms for human-AI collaboration, it reveals the current predicaments and bottlenecks, providing a basis for workflow reconstruction. The study elaborates on the advantages of AI in science communication, such as its strong content creation assistance, efficient data processing, and precise intelligent recommendation and personalized communication capabilities. It also examines the potential risks, including content distortion, ethical pitfalls, and ambiguous communication responsibilities. Based on this, the study proposes strategies for reconstructing science communicators' workflows, covering AI-based topic planning optimization, AI-assisted content creation process reconstruction, integration of AI into communication channels and operation strategies, and upgraded communication - effectiveness evaluation based on AI data. It also emphasizes the development of human - AI collaboration strategies, including team building, capacity building, establishment of collaboration processes and norms, and risk prevention mechanisms. Finally, the study summarizes the research, highlighting the profound impact of this transformation on the science communication industry and its significance in reshaping the role of science communicators. It also outlines future research directions. This study aims to provide theoretical guidance and practical references for science communicators, helping them transition from "tool usage" to "intelligent collaboration", maximize AI advantages while effectively avoiding risks, enhance the efficiency and quality of science communication, and promote the development of the science communication industry.

Guoyan Wang, Soochow University, China: Formal or Informal? A Panorama of Science Communication Education in China

This study provides a macro-level analysis of the professionalization status of science communication in higher education, with China as the focal point. China is currently in a critical period of building itself into a scientific and technological powerhouse. The release of the National Action Plan for Scientific Literacy (2021–2035) has set clear goals for improving public scientific literacy and emphasized the continuous improvement of the science education and training system. This presents unprecedented opportunities for science communication education. The growing societal recognition of the value of science has also created a favorable environment for science communication.

However, professional education in science communication faces numerous challenges. Drawing on the practical experiences of universities involved in science communication talent cultivation—such as the University of Science and Technology of China, Soochow University, Beihang University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University—this study systematically summarizes the current state, achievements, and difficulties in the professionalization of science communication education.

On the one hand, there is a misalignment between the professional positioning of science communication and the discipline system recognized by the Ministry of Education. Under the current degree-granting framework, no existing discipline officially lists science communication as a degree program, making it impossible to confer corresponding degrees. As a result, the cultivation of science communication talent is scattered across disciplines such as journalism and communication, education, and history of science, existing only as fragmented specializations. On the other hand, career pathways for science communication professionals remain obstructed. While there is a theoretical societal demand for such talent, science popularization departments are often public institutions with highly complex and competitive recruitment processes. Against this backdrop, degree-based education in science communication struggles to survive in a marginalized state.

Meanwhile, there is an increasingly urgent call for training programs tailored to science communication practitioners. In recent years, this pathway has gained recognition through a nationally accredited professional title system. Informal education for science communication practitioners, particularly skill enhancement in digital and AI-driven environments, has become a significant topic of discussion.

Ayelet Baram-Tsabari, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Israel: Curricula for developing science communication competencies

While science communication training for scientists is blooming, it was often not accompanied by thinking about curriculum, pedagogy, or assessment other than self-report. In 2017, Bruce Lewenstein and I suggested a conceptual base for science communication curricula, and in 2022, we organized the learning goals for different groups of learners, offering the first systematic theoretical foundation for what science communicators need to know. In a special editorial, the editors wrote that the article suggests a foundation for teaching science communication. At the end of 2024, IJSE:B dedicated a special issue to responses and follow-ups to this article. To further the co-production of knowledge, we created an open-access document explicitly to foster a community for further developing the conceptual base for growing the profession of science communication.

[Theme 2: Science and Society ]

Yukiko Muta, Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan: Cultivating Local Ecological Knowledge: A Case of Japanese Dandelion Observation + Dialogue Workshop as a Practice-Based Science Communication Model

Science communication research has long proposed theoretical frameworks such as the deficit, dialogue, and contextual models. However, these models are not always sufficiently responsive to the needs and contexts of practical fieldwork (Davies & Horst, 2016). The gap between theory and practice is particularly problematic in addressing complex, value-laden topics, such as biodiversity, where effective public participation and dialogue are both essential and challenging.

This presentation introduces an approach that integrates insights from science communication theories and Science and Technology Studies (STS) (Takacs, 1996; Kobayashi, 2007), connecting them with practice-based citizen engagement. Specifically, it presents a case study of a Japanese dandelion observation and dialogue workshop conducted with residents in April 2025.

The workshop combined field-based biodiversity observations with a co-creative dialogue session designed to foster mutual learning. Key elements included participatory field observation, two-way interactive dialogue design, context-sensitive message framing that respects local language and culture, and citizen-led co-creation, where participants became active storytellers and reflectors of their own observations.

To bridge the gap between theory and practice, this project translated theoretical models into practical tools and developed design guidelines for observation-plus-dialogue workshops. Additionally, it employed a dual perspective by positioning the facilitator as both a practitioner and researcher, enabling reflexive program design and evaluation.

This presentation proposes a ""Problem-solving design model"" that fosters inclusive and sustainable dialogue with citizens holding diverse values. It aims to contribute to both practical advances in community-based science communication and the theoretical development of participatory engagement models.

Takahide Kato, Miraikan - The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Japan: Co-Creating Future Medical Care: Public Engagement Practices at Miraikan

This session presents a case study on co-creating future medical care by collecting and integrating public opinions into an ongoing research project. Our museum, Miraikan, has developed structured methods to collect and share public opinions with researchers. Here, drawing on both the practical knowledge and the theoretical framework of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), we constructed a three-step framework to elicit, share, and reflect public perspectives in an ongoing research project focused on ultra-early disease prediction and intervention studies. With this ongoing project, we first present a plausible future scenario and gather participants’ diverse perspectives through a dialogue program, workshops, and an opinion-gathering exhibition. Throughout this process, we keep three points in mind: individuality, acceptability, and flexibility. Second, the collected opinions are shared with the research project, which will reflect on its approach accordingly. Third, the outcomes will be communicated back to the public through various formats such as events, blogs, and, in the future, new technology.

As a result, we collected over 4,000 public responses. They reflected participants’ honest thoughts and values (individuality), elicited through interactions with Miraikan’s Science Communicators in the dialogue program and workshops (flexibility). The participants expressed a wide range of interests in the research, and some noted, “I appreciated the opportunity to share my views” (acceptability). These responses were subsequently communicated to the research project members, who stated in the workshop, “Hearing public perspectives provides valuable insights into my research,” and, “I want to conduct further investigation as informed by public input.” These results suggest that our integrated framework not only engages the public from the early stages of ongoing research, but also helps the research project align scientific objectives with societal values and expectations. This study offers a touchstone to bridge a gap between theory and practice and contribute to inclusive research governance.

Chisa Mitsuhashi, Miraikan - The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Japan: Creating Opportunities for Non-Experts to Engage with Emerging Science and Technology — Advanced Initiatives at Miraikan

From the perspectives of ELSI and RRI, building a desirable future society through science and technology, requires involving the public early in the research and development stages. One approach is leveraging science museums as inclusive spaces, where people from diverse backgrounds can come together. This presentation introduces our initiative to position science museums as a “Testing ground for future society.”

Since Miraikan’s 2001 opening, we’ve engaged in a wide range of science communication activities. We recognized the importance of early public involvement. We conducted “demonstration experiments” as part of these efforts approximately a decade ago. Currently, Miraikan collaborates broadly with visitors and researchers, includes non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, humanoid robots, cognitive psychology and AI-equipped devices. These efforts rely on Science Communicators and museum staff who understand the perspectives of both researchers and visitors, and who bring expertise in experience-based design and science communication. Their expertise transforms activities into meaningful processes to “co-create the future.” In the development of new devices, creating an environment where researchers and participants can engage in equal-footing dialogue brings benefits to both.

For example, researchers gain user feedback and have the opportunity to reflect on how their research is used and perceived by the public. This allows researchers to reconsider the relationship between research and society. Participants learn about social issues behind the research, and are encouraged to consider the actual impacts of these approaches.

Notably, participants express the realization that “even as non-researchers, our opinions matter.” This self-awareness, that they are important stakeholders, precisely defines RRI. A science museum is where people from diverse backgrounds can gather and engage innovative initiatives. With Science Communicators, the public can continuously participate in research from initial stages. We propose this framework as a new model for building a desirable future society through science and technology.

Ziwen Lei, University of Science and Technology Beijing, China: Media in Science Communication: Reconstructing Knowledge Production and Dissemination

Media are not merely carriers of scientific information; they are vital intermediaries for knowledge co-creation, cultural embedding, and public engagement. This study analyzes three forms of media—visual media (short videos), spatial media (museum exhibitions), and organizational media (science associations)—to explore how media practices in science communication can more effectively respond to public cognition and cultural expectations within Asian contexts. The research finds that media not only facilitate the mediated translation of scientific knowledge but also enhance the practical impact of science communication within local communities. This study offers concrete pathways for advancing science communication through media as active agents of knowledge and meaning-making.

Hao Xin, Zhejiang Provincial Federation for Science Popularization, China: From Solo to Symphony: Zhejiang’s Co-Creation Approach to Socialised Science Communication in China

In many parts of the world, science communication efforts remain fragmented—often led by isolated actors from government, academia, or media, with limited coordination. In China, the Zhejiang Provincial Federation for Science Popularization (ZPFSP) offers a methodologically grounded model of co-created, socialised science communication, rooted in systemic innovation and broad stakeholder engagement. ZPFSP’s approach is anchored in what it terms the “Science Communication Trident”:

Cultivating communicators – Building multi-level talent pipelines, from school-age “Sci2U Angels” and university students in the “Sci2U Youth” program to the “Ten-Hundred-Thousand” initiative for professional science communicators and public intellectuals.

Enriching science content supply – Enabling communities, schools, and even local governments to “order” customised science content through the Sci2U platform and Shen Kuo SciComm Awards, while supporting original content creation through thematic foundations.

Developing science education – Integrating science communication with both informal and formal education systems, including curriculum co-design and immersive on-site experiences.

Through a deliberately constructed ecosystem—comprising policy frameworks, market mechanisms, grassroots networks, and philanthropic foundations—ZPFSP transforms fragmented efforts into a coordinated symphony. Key mechanisms include the Shen Kuo SciComm Foundation (a multi-party funding vehicle), the Sci2U brand (a demand-responsive service model), and co-created public events ranging from food safety outreach in mountain towns to short video contests featuring AI-generated science satire.

This case study presents ZPFSP’s model as a scalable, adaptable framework for non-Western contexts seeking to professionalise science communication through structural co-creation. By aligning public needs, institutional capacities, and knowledge infrastructures, the Zhejiang experience illustrates how systemic design—rather than individual enthusiasm—can drive inclusive, resilient, and sustainable science communication.

Lucky Brian Dlamini, NRF - South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (NRF-SAIAB), South Africa: Science for Societal Impact – A case study of the Transdisciplinary Project (IMIsEE Project)

he Indigenous Marine Innovations for Sustainable Environments and Economies (IMIsEE) project, funded by the NRF-SAIAB, blends science and art to address coastal challenges. It merges traditional African indigenous knowledge with scientific research to support the sustainable revitalisation of South Africa’s coastline.

Science communication plays a central role in achieving the project’s goals and maximising societal impact. It helps translate knowledge into sustainable actions by shaping public perceptions and values around the environment. From the outset, communication in this transdisciplinary initiative has enhanced community participation, bridging the historical gap where indigenous knowledge systems have been marginalised in scientific discourse. IMIsEE follows Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) principles, focusing on collaboration with communities throughout the research process to co-create knowledge and address real-world challenges. This presentation will highlight communication strategies used in the project, including:

Utilising a variety of digital platforms and technologies,
Hosting sound postcard exhibitions and digital storytelling sessions,
Organising imbizo (gatherings) and science engagement activities for high school learners,
Conducting on-site visits to national research facilities for non-scientists,
Engaging with media through local and national journalism,
Contributing to science communication networks and publications.

These approaches show how a science project can effectively integrate African Indigenous Knowledge Systems with participatory methods, connecting science and art through storytelling, music, and cultural practice. Effective communication combats disinformation, supports evidence-based policy, inspires creativity, enhances scientific literacy, and aligns with the 2019 White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation by the South African Department of Science, Technology and Innovation. Although challenges such as language barriers and unequal access to digital tools persist, communication remains essential for linking scientific research with societal needs and fostering sustainability. This presentation will illustrate the vital role of communication in connecting scientific and indigenous knowledge through diverse, inclusive mediums.

Seiko Ishihara-Shineha, Jissen Women's University, Japan: Engaging Diverse Audiences Through Game Design: A Novel Science Communication Approach

Tremendous advances in science and technology have increased the complexity of their social implications, or STS issues. In recent years, serious games have garnered attention as a tool for fostering diverse perspectives on STS issues. This paper presents educational research from Japan on a course in which undergraduate students design and develop serious board and card games on STS issues. Since 2016, students have created games on topics such as climate change, genome editing, reproductive medicine, artificial intelligence, food risks, and femtech.

A key aspect of this approach is its ability to engage students with low interest in science and technology in science communication activities through creative game design. Designing a game requires understanding the essential content of an STS issue and modeling its system. This involves identifying diverse frames and actors, trade-off structures, and dilemmas and incorporating them into the game system. Through this process, students are encouraged to delve deeply into specialized knowledge and consider issues from multiple perspectives.

Furthermore, the games are exhibited at Science Agora, a major science communication event in Japan. This provides an invaluable opportunity for the students who created the games to interact directly with scientists and members of the public interested in science. This approach is a novel attempt to engage a demographic that is typically less involved in science in science-society dialogue. Our research indicates that serious game design classes effectively promote awareness and understanding of the diverse framing and dilemma structures surrounding STS issues. In this paper, we present practical insights from the course and discuss opportunities and challenges in using the game design process to bridge the gap between science communication research and practice by engaging diverse audiences.

Ayush Biswas, Fixing Futures Research Training Group/ Goethe University, Germany: Reframing Trust and Literacy: A Comparative Study of Vaccine Discourse Across Digital Platforms

In this presentation, our team investigates how vaccine hesitancy is articulated by mobilising diverse epistemic claims (Sarrazin et al, 2024)  across digital platforms in a comparative, cross-national context, which includes case studies from Taiwan, India, Georgia, and Germany. Drawing on qualitative content analysis of data sampled across diverse platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, we explore how diverse responses to vaccination emerge. Within this epistemic diversity, we trace how specific experiential data coupled with broader  perceptions of national and transnational pandemic governance and communication strategies, all affect digital articulations of trust, mis-trust, distrust, and literacy

Media platforms offer a vast repository of resources, which often spans a spectrum from critical to outright conspiratorial. In our cross-national case study, we explore how they are mobilised to contest the traditional deficit model of science communication in each of our cases. 

The Deficit or the dissemination model (Wynne, 1993;Tayeebwa, 2022; Grant 2023) provides a top-down and asymmetrical view of science communication, where there exists a passive ‘lay-public’ and the ‘expert knowledge disseminator’. This unreflexive position of knowledge communication is unproductive, and it has been further argued that increased knowledge often among the ‘lay knower’ does not always translate into openness to new scientific methods and technologies ( Dickinson, 2005). 

In all four of our cases, we encountered attempts at institutional reflexivity, where both contextual and popular media strategies were adapted. However, in our presentation, we will argue that these models fail to reform an essentialised deficit model, which still exists in the ‘backstage’ of the attempts.

Yingjia Huang, Peking University, China: Rethinking Vulnerability and Communication Inequality in East Asia: A Scoping Review of COVID-19 Science Communication Practices

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only deepened existing social inequalities but also highlighted the urgency of rethinking how vulnerability and communication inequality are conceptualized in public health contexts. This scoping review synthesizes current research on these topics, focusing specifically on China, Japan, and South Korea. Two guiding questions frame the study: (1) How are “vulnerable groups” defined and understood in East Asian contexts during the pandemic? (2) How do communication inequalities in these contexts compare with those in Western societies, and what are their implications for health behaviors?

The first section of the review maps how East Asian studies commonly categorize vulnerable groups—such as older adults, children, and low-income populations—based on demographic, institutional, and cultural factors. It also highlights the concept of situational vulnerability, where individuals may become temporarily marginalized due to access barriers to health technologies, such as digital health codes or mobility restrictions.

The second section analyzes how communication inequality operates through differential access, visibility, and trust. In East Asia, health communication often relies on centralized channels and standardized formats, which can streamline messaging but risk excluding people without digital literacy or formal status, such as migrant workers. Rather than framing East–West differences hierarchically, the review emphasizes how local media systems, governance structures, and levels of public trust shape inclusive communication. Communication inequality, therefore, is not only about message access but also about who is recognized as a legitimate audience in the first place. 

Theoretically grounded in Provincializing STS perspectives (Law & Lin, 2017), this study challenges the implicit universalism of Western-centric models. Instead, it calls for a more pluralistic and inclusive vision of science communication—one that acknowledges the locality, diversity, and complexity of knowledge-making across global contexts.