Ambition Dialogue REcherche Science Société at CNRS Centre-Est – ADRESS-21-DR06

The health crisis has cast research and science in a new light. Scientists were in the spotlight, and were directly solicited by the media and politicians, without clarifying their role in the decision-making process. This has given rise to aberrations and controversy, sometimes fuelled by scientists themselves, who have highlighted society's vulnerability in the face of a flood of contradictory information massively relayed by social networks. These intense debates show that society is demanding a better understanding of the role of science in the decisions taken by all economic and political players, and that those involved in research must promote a better understanding of scientific method and debate. It is now the duty of the scientific community to respond to this call, or risk a total breach of trust.

The French National Research Agency (ANR), through its "Science avec et pour la société - Culture scientifique, technique et industrielle - AAPG2021" call for projects, is providing an opportunity to implement scientific mediation, communication and promotion initiatives around the issues and results of research projects supported by the agency in 2021.

The CNRS is ideally positioned to respond to this need, thanks to its national presence and multidisciplinary coverage, its network of academic partners, and the links it has forged with players in the scientific, technical and industrial fields over many years.

Through the actions proposed, the CNRS aims to show citizens the value of scientific data, so that the knowledge generated by laboratories is given due consideration in societal and individual choices. Aware that fundamental research involves advanced and sometimes abstract concepts, and that the results of this work need to be placed in a "narrative" that goes beyond them and encompasses them, the CNRS, in the mediation actions it proposes, aims to help decipher them. This approach to mediation, which combines national schemes, local initiatives and tailor-made support, makes it possible to tackle issues such as fake news and the impact of scientific alerts, as well as the controversies and debates that fuel the dialogue between science, research and society.