To train scientists, and especially females, to communicate science effectively and engage the public in climate change action. To train scientists, especially females, to engage the public with scientific issues related to climate change To develop scientists', especially females’, writing and oral skills to engage with the public in various spaces. To improve scientists’ understanding of the factors causing distrust towards scientists and disengagement with science To develop scientists’, especially females’, understanding of the benefit of public engagement for their career in the long-term. Furthermore, the created professional development training promotes public engagement with science with the ultimate goal of supporting the public in developing an understanding of how science works, the central role of scientific evidence to science, and taking climate action.
The project was conceptualized to address the need for literacy on climate change and to also promote the recognition of female climate scientists. To do that we adopted a gender inclusivity approach, by not only targeting women scientists in the training but by also designing gender-inclusive materials for public engagement with science. More specifically, a number of facts and recent trends spoke to the urgency and value of the project being carried out transnationally: a) the alarming decline of students’ interest towards STEM studies and careers in Europe; b) the global rise of fake news; c) the crisis of trust towards science and scientists as a consequence of mismanagement of the pandemic mostly at the governmental level; d) the persisting gender gap in the sciences; and, e) the urgency for climate action. Europe faced both a shortfall of scientists and a decline of interest in scientific careers.