Wondering how participatory sciences can promote civic engagement?
Then check out the following sessions at CAPS 2026, May 26-29. >>Full program here.
Building from the Ground up: Civic Engagement through Community Science
Collaborative Session [Thursday, May 28, 1:15 PM]
This session equips participants to identify and address civic priorities collaboratively with community. We’ll share ASTC research on public perceptions of science, then introduce practical tools from our Community Science initiative. Learn how to start with what communities care about and connect science to issues that matter locally.
Convener: Naomi Wallace (Association of Science and Technology Centers)
Co-presenters: Eve Klein (Association of Science and Technology Centers); Naomi Wallace (Association of Science and Technology Centers)
Play, civics, and participatory sciences: a (fun) brainstorming workshop
Collaborative Session [Tuesday, May 26, 1:15 PM]
What does play have to do with science? Come figure it out with us! This session entails a workshop to think about how ideas like creativity, play, joy, belonging, and civic development relate to your participatory science practices. We will provide prompts and time for discussion, and share our own insights and practices. Bring your perspectives, expertise, and curiosity! Session attendees will leave with concrete ideas for infusing elements of play, creativity, and civics in your own work.
Convener: Kirsten Lydic (University of Pennsylvania)
Co-presenters: Prateekshit (Kanu) Pandey (UC Santa Barbara )
Reflecting on the Participatory Sciences in light of the Trump administration and beyond.
Symposium [Friday, May 29, 12:00 PM]
As practitioners of the participatory sciences focused on a broad range of issues from Reddit communities to air quality, we’ve seen a societal turn by political elites against the expertise of scientists, of academia, and of journalism, even as the public remains broadly supportive of science. We will share a few relevant examples from our work for context, followed by a conversation with attendees about what our communities can learn from each other about trust and safety in these times.
Convener: Alan Smith (Consumer Reports)
Co-presenters: Sarah Gilbert (Citizens and Technology Lab); Todd Whitney (Independent Reporter-Technologist and Just Tech Fellow with the Social Science Research Council); Brandi Geurkink (the Coalition for Independent Technology Research)
The elephant in the room: how can participatory sciences help build a stronger democracy?
Collaborative Session [Friday, May 29, 1:15 PM]
This session will frame and hold a reflective discussion on what we – as individuals, as projects, as a field, and as a part of the scientific community – are doing to grow trust in science, create opportunity, and heal societal division, and on how that collective work can be strengthened.
Convener: Sarah Kirn
Co-presenters: Alison Parker; Alan Smith (Consumer Reports)
Registration for CAPS 2026 is open! Find full event details here.
