Webinar date: 23 January 2026
On 23 January 2024, the PCST Network hosted its inaugural Barcamp, titled Science Communication 2050: Which disruptive social and technological changes will transform society and science communication.
Organised and facilitated by Alexandra Borissova Saleh, the event departed from the traditional webinar format. Using a Barcamp, or unconference, approach, it brought together PCST members from around the world to collaboratively reflect on and imagine the future directions of science communication.
The session opened with a keynote reflection by Bruce Lewenstein, the first recipient of the PCST Award. Drawing on his long-standing experience in the field, he reviewed key transformations in science communication over recent decades, providing a historical perspective to inform thinking about the road towards 2050.
In line with the participant-driven nature of the Barcamp format, the central part of the event focused on open pitching and collective agenda setting. Participants proposed topics for discussion and then voted on those they were most interested in exploring further. The selected themes covered a wide range of issues, including the role of artificial intelligence, evolving socio-political contexts, and cultural changes that may shape science communication over the next 25 years.
