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Title: Lessons in Hubris and Humility Can Help Science Serve the Public
As scholars, we have a responsibility to share our insights and innovations with the world, rather than burying them in journals. Maddie Khaw’s article in The Chronicle of Higher Education highlights the need for scientists to be more intentional about public engagement to regain trust. While highly cited journal publications are crucial, only 30 people may read it. In contrast, amplifying our research through popular media outlets can reach a much wider audience, including key stakeholders.
Reef balls, made from a mixture of cement, sand, and crushed oyster shells, form the South Bay Native Oyster Living Shoreline Project, September 30, 2022 are seen near the Chula Vista Wildlife Refuge in Chula Vista, California. While there may be no pearls growing on these reefs in San Diego Bay, scientists hope they will yield an even more valuable treasure: protection against coastal erosion caused by rising sea levels. Thousands of oysters have begun to grow on artificial reefs dropped into the bay as part of a plan to mitigate damage in California’s far south.
Dr. Amanda Townley, Executive Director of the National Center for Science Education, emphasizes the importance of humility and co-production of knowledge. She argues that we must engage with the public in a collaborative manner, embracing our role as social learners. I sought her perspective on this matter and she wrote, “If we want a scientifically-literate public, we have to embrace our place in that as much, if not more than we do our place in the sciences.” This is crucial because I often frame my translation activities from the perspective of my family or a random person at the mall.
Townley continues by stating that the great disservice of the scientific system as it stands today is that we have disconnected ourselves from those we most want to learn from us. The concept of “savior complex” plagues well-meaning academics, principal investigators, and scientists who believe their ideas and solutions are exactly what the community, business, or individual needs without asking them.
On the other hand, co-production of knowledge is a humble approach to engage with others. During my tenure as Deputy Project Scientist for NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement Mission, we organized a workshop for potential users of this novel dataset. We were excited about the potential value our satellite mission had to offer farmers, water resource managers, and other stakeholders. However, we quickly realized after listening to them that there was a significant barrier to usage. They did not have the capacity to manage large scientific data formats. They wanted the data in simple GIS-ready formats.
Humility in science translation means initial engagement, active listening, lessening mistrust, and developing solutions together. Many scholars already get it. Dr. J. Derrick Lemons is a professor at the University of Georgia’s Department of Religion and director of the Center for Theologically Engaged Anthropology. He shares that “one of the most powerful duties a scholar can perform is to become a learner first.” Professor Lemons believes that scholars must immerse themselves in the culture they hope to influence with humility and understanding.
He advises us to “go to the people, live among them, learn from them, start with what they know, build on what they have.”
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2025/04/06/lessons-in-hubris-and-humility-can-help-science-serve-the-public/
