The upcoming SCIROS workshop, hosted by IBL PAN, TUM, and PHIL_OS, brings together researchers and practitioners to explore this pressing question. Over two days, participants will combine theoretical reflection with hands-on design sessions to identify how Open Science can support more transparent, trustworthy, and responsible knowledge production.

From examining the roots of distrust and the “fast science” culture to prototyping practical Open Science–based solutions, the workshop aims to chart pathways toward rebuilding justified trust in science.

See the full programme below.

Scope

Trust in science faces a dual crisis: public distrust in reliable science and misplaced trust in misinformation. This poses serious social and political risks, calling for renewed efforts to rebuild public trust. The two-day workshop explores how Open Science (OS) practices can help address this challenge. The programme combines theoretical discussion and hands-on design. Day 1 will feature a panel introducing the problematic and a brainstorming session to define key challenges and potential interventions. Day 2 will focus on prototyping possible solutions. 

From a theoretical perspective, we will examine how today’s information ecosystem shapes both trust and distrust in science. What exactly do people distrust, and why? What kind of trust should science aim to rebuild? We will consider whether encouraging trust in “good” science while discouraging “bad” science can coexist – or whether these aims conflict.

From a practical standpoint, we will explore which individual skills and institutional reforms can foster justified trust. Scientific literacy is key: how can OS support or hinder the public’s ability to identify trustworthy information? While OS promises transparency and accessibility, does openness necessarily lead to better understanding?

We will also examine how current research practices – particularly the “fast science” culture driven by academic pressures – impact public trust. Fast science can flood the public sphere with low-quality or exaggerated findings, undermining credibility. We aim to analyse the relationship between fast and open science: when does OS amplify these issues, and when can it counteract them?

Ultimately, we will explore how OS can help produce more trustworthy knowledge and reduce the appeal of misinformation. We will identify tools and infrastructures that help diverse stakeholders navigate scientific information, and prototype practical OS-based solutions.

Programme outline

Day 1 – Wednesday, 26 November

Theme: Disinformation in Science

12:00- 13:00 – Welcome lunch

13:00–18:00 – Discovery discussion

13:00-13:45 Round of introductions

13:45-15:45 Keynotes on the relation between misinformation and open science

13.45-14.15 Sabina Leonelli, Openness and Misinformation: False Promises and Real Opportunities

14.15-14.45 Marcel Boumans, When is Science Bad?

14.45-15.15 Richard Williams, Who Regulates the Regulators? Regulated Speech, Misinformation and Knowledge Intermediaries 

15.15-15.45 Piotr Wciślik, How Open Science Infrastructures Can Increase Information Literacy?

15:45-16:00 Break

WORKSHOP

16.00-17:30 Session I: Mapping the problem space (Design Thinking phase: Empathize / Discover)

19:00 – Dinner (self-paid)

Day 2 – Thursday, 27 November

9:00-11:00 Session II: Defining the Core Problems (Design Thinking phase: Define)

11:00-11:30 Break

11:30-13:00 Session III: Prototyping Solutions – Part I (Design Thinking phase: Ideate → Prototype early stage)

13:00–14:00  Lunch Break

14.00-15:30 Session IV: Refining and Testing Prototypes (Design Thinking phase: Prototype → Test)

15:30-16:00 Break

16:00-17:00 Wrap-up and workshop closing.

---

---