Four lessons of science communication 

Being a scientist today is more than conducting experiments, publishing papers, securing grants, establishing collaborations, teaching, and attending conferences. It means stepping out of the lab and meeting the growing expectations to be visible, accessible, and engaged in public spaces.  

While the scientific community is pushing for more public engagement, the supporting elements are missing. We still lack proper support, time, training, clear strategies, resources, and collaborations. As a result, many scientists hesitate to step into the public spotlight to communicate their work.  

I prefer to see communication as a choice, not an obligation. Even if it is not our primary role as scientists, it remains a shared responsibility.  

This year, I was part of a brief but powerful immersive experience that helped me define my core value related to science communication. An artist guided me through a series of reflective, open-ended scenarios to form that experience. One word crystallized: Tamkeen, the Arabic word for empowerment. 

Tamkeen for scientists is essential for effective science communication, as visibility and public engagement can’t happen without a solid foundation. Research shows that when scientists receive structured communication support, their confidence and ability to engage with broader audiences improve significantly.  

Tamkeen begins with sharing lessons with fellow researchers and scientists. Over my career journey in both science and communication, four personal lessons stand out.  

Define the mode of participation 

Peer recognition and public visibility are not the same. Publishing in high-impact journals builds academic credibility, but societal impact comes from being understood and accessible to the public.  

The journey toward impactful visibility should begin with identifying personal priorities and developing a strategy that reflects personal values and resonates with the target audience. It also requires clarity about your role and how you want to engage. 

Tamkeen doesn’t mean doing everything. Not every scientist needs to be a speaker, writer, or influencer. Scientists can contribute at any level, aligning their strengths and capacity with intentional visibility efforts and building a focused, sustainable presence with a clear strategy.  

Public engagement levels could be categorized into four levels. Basic Visibility, includes mentoring, opening labs, supporting colleagues, or sharing research updates. Active Engagement, involves deeper participation through workshops, panels, lab tours, or supporting outreach initiatives led by others. Collaborative Engagement, includes co-creating with students, journalists, or communities through citizen science or shared projects, including hands-on, co-designed lab activities. Strategic Leadership, involves sustained commitment through building partnerships, shaping institutional strategy, and mentoring others to strengthen the science communication ecosystem. 

Defining my preferred type of commitment and engagement transformed how I prioritized my science communication involvement. 

Be present with purpose 

Participating in conferences, forums, and workshops in person or virtually helps overcome access barriers, change perceptions, and build meaningful networks.  

In the past two years, I committed to attending science communication meetings. One of those meetings had more than 500 participants. However, there were fewer than 10 Arab attendees and only one Arab woman: me.   

Many voices are missing when science seeks to speak to society, especially in the Arab region. Visibility requires stepping outside your scientific circle to build perspective and relevance. If we are not there, we can’t be part of shaping the narrative.  

While designing activities based on existing lab work, such as lab tours, school visits, and public talks, is the norm for scientists, I realized the power of co-designed science communication grounded in community needs through engaging in conversations with social scientists and reflecting on these exchanges. These interactions reshaped how I think about making science meaningful and shared. 

Foster open dialogue to understand and be understood 

Another experience that deepened my understanding of communication barriers came during my participation in the media events with other scientists. At one event, we were part of a panel discussion around underrepresented voices in science.  

During the conversation, panelists highlighted the need for new storytelling formats, encouraged journalists to ask questions freely, and invited them to attend scientific events to build relationships and mutual understanding. To better understand the journalists’ perspective, I polled the audience during the event on the biggest barrier to covering underreported science. The top answer was unfamiliarity.  

One comment captured the need for science communication perfectly: “Science journalism should not only show up when there is a pandemic, a natural crisis, or a breakthrough cure. It should remind us why the world is amazing.”  

Another point raised was the lack of connectors between the media and scientific experts.  

This experience made me even more convinced of the need for ambassadors who can help bridge communication gaps. Training young scientists who are already active and enthusiastic about communication will strengthen their skills and expertise and also position them as valuable connectors between science, journalism, and public audiences

Empower through collaboration and build impactful partnerships  

Finding the right collaborators in the media, identifying active scientists to empower, and securing the resources that make the mission sustainable are all keys to effective science communication.  

Progress starts with understanding what works. Journalists bring storytelling expertise, and scientists bring knowledge. Together, they create narratives that are accurate, clear, and compelling.  

When teams exchange best practices and refine how they work, coordination improves, duplication decreases, and overall impact grows. At the end, the power of science communication comes not only from the message itself but from the network behind it, all moving together toward a shared mission. 

Tamkeen is a mindset that empowers scientists to focus on what matters with clarity and intention. Visibility is about enabling connection and shared responsibility. Real impact grows through collaboration, support, and steady presence to build engagement. That is the power of Tamkeen. 

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