The Ethics, Science, and the Public Project

We are the Ethics, Science, and the Public project based in the Faculty of Education, School of the Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Cambridge.

Between 2021 – 2026 we were the Kavli Centre for Ethics, Science, and the Public and since 2021 we have been successfully innovating public engagement methods on the ethical implications of scientific discovery.

Following the completion of its initial funded period, the Kavli Centre for Ethics, Science and the Public closed on 31 March 2026, and all projects will be completed by the end of 2027 within the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge.

Major scientific breakthroughs deepen our understanding of nature and ourselves. Such discoveries have the potential to transform our everyday lives. Yet the same science that holds promise for progress often raises concerns and questions for society.

We enable global conversations on the ethical issues raised by discovery science by conducting public engagement at the early stages of scientific discovery. This empowers scientists to consider and navigate ethical and societal concerns. We specialise in creating the conditions for conversations between scientists and members of the public.

Watch the launch film for our work in Cambridge, UK, here:

The Ethics, Science, and the Public project aims to have a positive impact on both science and society because we:

• Conduct public engagement at early stages of scientific discovery
• Enhance and evolve societal awareness of discovery ethics of science globally, including diverse communities
• Empower scientists to consider and navigate ethical and societal concerns
• Enable the inclusion of societal perspectives as part of research and policy development

Watch our pitch film submitted in 2021 to our funder, the Kavli Foundation:

Recognising that both ‘the public’ and ‘scientists’ are mixed groups with many communities, values and interests, the The Ethics, Science, and the Public project pursues new ways to build communication bridges between….

• Public audiences
• Scientists
• Public engagement and communication professionals
• Ethicists
• Social scientists
• Community groups
• Health Professionals

The Ethics, Science, and the Public project delivers its research and engagement strategy….

• By facilitating encounters between members of the public and scientists to discuss and deliberate on the societal and ethical questions associated with science
• By researching new approaches of engaging scientific and public audiences in discussions on the ethics of science
• By understanding what shapes scientists’ and publics’ awareness of, and the ability to act on, the ethical issues associated with discovery science
• By empowering scientists to evolve how they do science

We made the film below to demonstrate the power of hearing people talk, in their own languages, about the need for better connections between science and society. This film was produced by Anna Middleton and created by Lauren Robarts. A big thank you to everyone who appears in the film.

[header image credit: Daniel Lonn, Unsplash]