Building Bridges with Words: ASTC Leads Workshop on Science, Dialogue, and Democracy

A free virtual workshop hosted by the Association of Science-Technology Centers on June 16, 2025, will bring together dialogue practitioners, science communicators, and museum professionals to explore how structured conversations can bridge scientific knowledge and community decision-making. Highlighting museums as trusted venues for dialogue, the event features hands-on exercises, real-world case studies, and practical tools to support inclusive engagement on issues like climate change, public health, and technology policy. By bridging science and society through dialogue, this timely and accessible workshop builds vital skills for navigating today’s complex challenges. Read more in the blog post below.

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​A free interactive workshop scheduled for Monday, June 16, 2025, offers dialogue practitioners and science communicators a valuable opportunity to explore how structured conversation can bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and community decision-making. The "Dialogue & Deliberation Interactive Workshop" focuses on one of the most promising approaches for engaging communities in science-related policy decisions.

Community Science Meets Dialogue Practice

​The Association of Science-Technology Centers' "Dialogue & Deliberation Interactive Workshop" focuses on one of five key approaches to Community Science—a field that recognizes communities as essential partners in addressing complex challenges at the intersection of science, society, and policy. Unlike traditional science communication that simply transmits information, this approach emphasizes collaborative engagement where community knowledge and scientific expertise inform each other.

​The workshop highlights museums as venues for dialogue and deliberation, recognizing that cultural institutions can serve as trusted neutral spaces for community conversations about complex issues. Museums offer credibility, accessible environments, educational resources, and established community connections that make them ideal for hosting these conversations.
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Participants will hear success stories from museums that have hosted dialogue events and learn best practices for designing similar programs.

Hands-On Learning

​The interactive format moves beyond theory to practice. Participants will engage in small group brainstorming and problem-solving sessions, working through real challenges they face in community engagement. The workshop serves as a companion to a Dialogue & Deliberation Toolkit, providing concrete resources for immediate application.

Addressing Complex Challenges

​The focus on science-society-policy intersections positions this workshop to address today's most challenging public engagement scenarios—from climate change and public health to technology policy and environmental justice. These issues require both scientific understanding and democratic deliberation about community values and priorities.

​Traditional science communication assumes that accurate information leads to good decisions. However, people make decisions based on complex interactions between information, values, relationships, and experience. Dialogue and deliberation approaches create structured opportunities for communities to explore multiple perspectives, identify shared values, consider trade-offs, and build collaborative relationships.

Professional Development Value

For dialogue practitioners, this workshop offers exposure to science-focused applications. For science communicators and museum professionals, it provides introduction to structured dialogue techniques that can enhance public engagement beyond one-way information sharing.
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The free virtual format removes barriers to participation and enables geographically diverse collaboration.

​As communities wrestle with decisions requiring both scientific understanding and democratic deliberation, this workshop builds field capacity for more effective community engagement. The intersection of science, society, and policy will only grow more complex, making these skills increasingly essential.

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Association of Science-Technology Centers' The Dialogue & Deliberation Interactive Workshop takes place Monday, June 16, 2025, from 2:30-4:00 pm ET. Registration is free and available online.