Meaningful Citizen Engagement in Science and Technology: What Would it Really Take?

Citizen engagement in scientific and technological issues is in vogue in recent years, and a variety of projects intended to engage citizens in science and technology is occurring worldwide. However, few academics and governments attempting to “engage in engagement” are clear about their goals and desired outcomes, and whether or not the processes they facilitate are likely to meet these ends. What are the goals—explicit and implicit—of institutionally sponsored projects that aim to engage lay citizens in science and technology? Are these exercises likely to meet these goals? and what kinds of processes could nurture more meaningful engagement, what are the barriers to this kind of engagement, and how might these barriers be overcome? Based on the experience of the authors, this article explores these questions and provides 10 recommendations for more meaningful engagement of citizens in science and technology.