Can the “Right to Science” Restore Public Trust?
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Dorothy J. Phillips, American Chemical Society, 2025 President
Our world is increasingly shaped by misinformation. Declining trust in science poses a serious challenge. Dorothy J. Phillips, 2025 President of the American Chemical Society, believes that restoring this trust may begin with something long overlooked: the “Right to Science.”
Recognized in Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and elaborated in Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966), the Right to Science affirms that everyone has the right to access scientific knowledge, education, and the benefits of progress. Yet despite being enshrined in international law for over seven decades, this right remains largely unknown to the public.
Drawing on her decade of experience with the AAAS Science and Human Rights Coalition, Phillips argues that raising awareness of this right—especially among students—can play a powerful role in rebuilding public confidence. The UN’s 2020 General Comment No. 25 provides a framework for implementation, emphasizing not only the protection of scientific freedom but also proactive efforts by governments to ensure access to accurate information and counter disinformation.
This mission is urgent. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey revealed a sharp decline—up to 14 percentage points—in Americans’ trust in scientists since the COVID-19 pandemic. Phillips suggests that reversing this trend begins in the classroom. Early science education, inclusive of all demographics, is critical to cultivating a generation that values evidence-based thinking.
The American Chemical Society’s recent webinar, How to Break Through to Reach Science Deniers, underscores the growing recognition that trust must be earned through outreach, education, and transparency. Phillips’ lecture explored whether affirming and communicating the Right to Science can help shift the tide—promoting a more informed, engaged, and scientifically literate public.
About the author
Dorothy J. Phillips, American Chemical Society, 2025 President
©2025 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin/Boston
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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Artikel in diesem Heft
- Can the “Right to Science” Restore Public Trust?
- The Future of Science in the Digital Age: Chemistry at a Crossroads
- Chemistry for a Fairer, Safer, and More Sustainable World
- Science at a Crossroads: Restoring Integrity and Public Trust
- Building Trust in Science: A Two-Way Commitment
- Science: A Truth Worth Defending
- Science Under Siege: Confronting the Hydra’s Many Heads
- Masthead - Full issue pdf
- Past President’s Column
- Chemistry at the Crossroads: Enabling Solutions for a Changing World
- Features
- IUPAC’s 2025 Top Ten Emerging Technologies in Chemistry
- Preventing spread of chemical weapons in an era of rapid technological change
- Why think philosophically about chemistry?
- Spotlight on IUPAC Young Observers
- Spotlight on IUPAC U.S. Young Observers
- IUPAC Wire
- IUPAC Launches Global Call to Action for Responsible Chemistry
- IUPAC Announces the 2025 Top Ten Emerging Technologies in Chemistry
- Actions Taken by IUPAC Council, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 2025
- Recognising Excellence: CCE 2026 Awards—Call for Nominations
- 2026 IUPAC-Richter Prize—Call for Nominations
- 2026 IUPAC–Soong Prize for Sustainable Chemistry—Call for Nominations
- 2026 IUPAC-Solvay International Award for Young Chemists—Call for Applicants
- Systems Thinking in Chemistry Education—Call for Papers
- Special issue IYQ in PAC
- In Memoriam
- Project Place
- Terminology for Dynamic Polymer Networks and Hydrogels
- Systems Thinking, Sustainability and Chemical Industry
- Small-Scale Chemistry Initiative in India
- Making an imPACt
- Definitions and preferred symbols for mass diffusion coefficients in multicomponent fluid mixtures including electrolytes (IUPAC Technical Report)
- IUPAC/CITAC guide: interlaboratory comparison of categorical characteristics of a substance, material, or object (IUPAC Technical Report)
- Blockchain technology: driving change in the scientific research workflow
- IUPAC Provisional Recommendations
- Basic Classification and Definitions of Polymerization Reactions
- Conference Call
- IUPAC 2025 in Kuala Lumpur Opened with Focus on Sustainability and Excellence
- Restoring Trust in Science: A Global Imperative
- Sustainable Practices for Promoting Diversity in Chemistry
- Green Chemistry for a Sustainable Future
- Advancing Scientific Terminology & Standards for the Digital Era—DUST Conference 2025
- Stockholm Declaration on Chemistry for the Future
- Mark Your Calendar
- Index
