Qualitative insights into scientists’ engagement goals and objectives

Previous research emphasizes the importance of audience-specific behavioral goals as a potential foundation for designing evidence-based engagement efforts (Besley et al., 2024). While recognizing that not all engagement efforts will emphasize such goals, this study explores how scientists who were encouraged to articulate such goals described their priorities and how those goals align with cognitive and affective communication objectives. We analyzed qualitative data from interviews conducted with scientists as part of organizational engagement strategy planning. When initially asked about their goals for engagement, some scientists identified behavioral goals such as promoting science-informed decision-making, while others named cognitive objectives, such as increasing scientific literacy. When later prompted by the interviewer, most scientists endorsed at least one behavioral goal. All scientists named at least one cognitive or affective communication objective when describing their public engagement efforts, and many scientists made evidence-based connections between goals and objectives. The findings point to the value of structured facilitation in helping scientists articulate and align their engagement goals with supporting objectives.