“What must we do to be worthy of the public’s trust?”
That question is posed in a recent STAT op-ed by Dana Foundation President and CEO Caroline Montojo and Greenwall Foundation President Michelle Groman. Together, they explore projects their foundations support to better understand trust in science and help build it. They argue that clear communication matters, but lasting trust also depends on relationships and sustained engagement.
They call on scientists, clinicians, patients, communities, communicators, institutional leaders, and public health practitioners to work together with humility. For trust in science to be built and sustained, they suggest remaining curious about whose trust is sought, what each relationship requires, and how history shapes expectations.
STAT’s new trust-in-science beat will continue to ask these questions in its investigation of the complex issue of trust. This initiative is supported by the Dana Foundation, Greenwall Foundation, John Templeton Foundation and Boston Foundation. Alongside this initiative, STAT introduced its first-ever trust-in-science reporter, Nicholas Florko. He aims to unpack what happens when scientific knowledge collides with emotions like fear, confusion, and frustration.
Recent stories explore what shapes some parents’ decisions about vaccination and how pediatricians work with families who question vaccines.
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