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On 16–17 June 2025, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Advanced Training Centre in Heidelberg hosted the annual Science and Society Conference, this year under the thought-provoking title: “In Science We Trust?”. The event brought together an interdisciplinary community of researchers, policy-makers, and science communicators to explore one of the most pressing questions of our time: how can we build and maintain public trust in science, in an era shaped by misinformation, disinformation, and rapid technological change?

The keynote speakers of the conference explored the critical role of public trust in science in a ‘post-truth’ world—from public engagement and its impact on funding and resource allocation to the political consequences of losing societal trust: We are living in an time of extraordinary scientific and technological progress — particularly in the life sciences, which are central to EMBL’s mission, like gene-editing, stem-cell and vaccine research as well as emerging fields like artificial intelligence and organoid research. At the same time, these advancements unfold in a landscape increasingly shaped by misinformation and disinformation. Whether it’s public attitudes during the pandemic, high-profile cases of scientific misconduct, or ethical dilemmas that verge on science fiction, the issue of public trust in science remains ever-present.

Among the distinguished keynote speakers was Maura Hiney of University College Dublin, a member of the irecs advisory board, who delivered a powerful talk on the second day of the conference. Her insights touched on the vital role of research integrity in earning and maintaining public trust in science. She highlighted how poor practices, misconduct, and complex incentive structures threaten the reliability of research. As traditional self-regulation falls short, new policies and initiatives are emerging across the research landscape. Drawing on the European Code of Conduct, she explored tools and strategies to support trustworthy, reproducible research.

Given that trust in science is a central focus of the irecs project, and that many of the technologies discussed align closely with irecs’s four core technology areas, our participation in this conference was both timely and deeply relevant. irecs was invited to showcase its work through both a poster and a flash talk, which drew significant interest from attendees. Our presentation sparked lively and meaningful conversations, particularly around the training materials developed by irecs partners, which were enthusiastically received by participants from diverse disciplines.

We were grateful for the opportunity, not only to attend thought-provoking and inspiring talks by leading experts, but also to engage directly with researchers and professionals from across disciplines.

Beyond the presentations, the conference was also an opportunity to reconnect with other members of the irecs advisory board. We were pleased to meet again with Reda Cimmperman, from the Office of the Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures of the Republic of Lithuania, who also presented a poster; and Lucia Schmitz from EMBL Heidelberg, who played a key role in organising the event.

Engaging with this vibrant community reminded us just how important—and how timely—the mission of irecs is. Our interactions reaffirmed the project’s growing impact and its meaningful contribution to the broader conversation about fostering and sustaining public trust in science.

If you’re interested in watching the conference talks, recordings are available on the EMBL conference website.

Authors: Claudia Brändle and Maria Maia, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)