Why National Science Week matters more than ever

As AI, personalised medicine, bioengineering and other technologies reshape our lives, we need a community — and a government — that can understand the implications of these technologies and make informed decisions about how they’re used. National Science Week is an opportunity to lift science literacy and bring these conversations further into the public sphere. 

Scientific progress is happening fast. Are we aware of the consequences? 

From AI rapidly shaping our digital experiences to personalised medicine redefining how we treat disease, scientific discoveries are being applied in ways that profoundly affect how we live, learn, work and govern. 

The problem? Many of these changes are unfolding without widespread visibility or scrutiny. The outputs of scientific practice — its tools, technologies and consequences — often remain out of sight or poorly understood by the people they affect most. 

That’s why science literacy is essential. It’s not just about understanding how something works — it’s about recognising that it’s already working on us. Without that awareness, there’s no opportunity to ask informed questions, weigh risks or help shape direction. 

The power of visibility 

National Science Week helps bring scientific progress into public view. It sparks conversations that go beyond research institutions, reaching classrooms, libraries, workplaces and community groups. 

It’s a chance for people to connect not just with ‘science’ in the abstract, but with the real-world impacts of scientific advancement. It invites individuals and communities to think critically about how technologies are influencing their lives — and to consider what kind of future we want to co-create. 

What needs to happen? 

Science communication plays a role, but it’s only one part of the solution. If the community remains broadly disengaged, disconnected or ambivalent, we will miss the opportunity to shape outcomes before they’re irrevocable. Here’s what needs to happen: 

• Engagement that sparks agency, not just awareness 

  Help people understand how science-based technologies influence their jobs, data, health and rights — and that passive consumption has consequences. 

• Proactive policy conversations  

  Governments need to shift from reactive regulation to proactive, cross-sector discussions that include the broader community — not just technologists and lobbyists. 

• Education that prioritises critical thinking  

  Digital literacy, ethical reasoning and systems thinking need to be embedded across all areas of learning, not just STEM. 

• A cultural shift from convenience to consequence 

  Let’s normalise asking hard questions about new technologies: Who benefits? Who’s left out? What’s the trade-off? 

• Less ambivalence, more accountability  

  We’re already living with the products of scientific inquiry. Ignoring them doesn’t slow progress — it just cedes decision-making to those who are paying attention. 

National Science Week is a start, not a tick-box 

National Science Week is a powerful catalyst, but we need more than celebration. We need cultural clarity, political courage and public curiosity. 

If we want a society that understands and engages with science-based change, we need to stop thinking of science as something remote or abstract and start grappling with the ways it’s already shaping us. 

Call to action 

Want to be part of the shift from awareness to agency?  We work with research organisations, educators and policymakers to help people see why science matters — and what it means for their lives.  Talk to us: editor@coretext.com.au.