Picture the scene. You’re at a family dinner, someone passes the potatoes and asks, “So, what is it you actually do all day?” You take a deep breath, mention protein aggregation or sodium transporters, and watch their eyes glaze over before you’ve reached your second sentence.
Sound familiar? Here’s the good news: people are far more interested in your research than that glazed look suggests, and sharing it does a lot more than fill an awkward pause at dinner.
Here’s what the numbers say about the public’s appetite for research, how many researchers already share their work, and six good reasons to take yours beyond the lab.
Does the Public Actually Want to Hear About Your Research?
Yes. In Switzerland, 78% of people agree that scientists should inform the public about their work, according to the Science Barometer Switzerland 2025, a representative survey of 1,548 Swiss residents run by the University of Zurich. Only around 4.5% disagree.
The same survey’s results tables show that:
- 60% of the Swiss population trust science strongly or very strongly.
- 74% agree that scientific research should be supported by the state.
- Around 45% say they are strongly or very strongly interested in science and research.
Across the EU, the picture is similar. In the latest Special Eurobarometer on science and technology, published in February 2025, 58% of Europeans said they would like to know more about scientific developments. What’s stopping them? Lack of time (40%), lack of interest (37%) and lack of basic knowledge (36%).
That’s where you come in. Clear, accessible explanations from the people doing the research can help remove some of those barriers.
Did you know? In the Science Barometer’s 2025 brochure, climate scientist Prof. Sonia Seneviratne of ETH Zurich notes that people in Switzerland don’t encounter scientific content very often, and sees this as a mandate for more science communication.
How Many Researchers Share Their Research?
Plenty of researchers already share their work, and many more would like to. Hard numbers for Switzerland are scarce, but a 2021 report by the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences summed the situation up neatly: many scientists think science communication is necessary, but far fewer actually do it.
Elsewhere in Europe:
- United Kingdom: a Wellcome-led study of 2,454 researchers, published in 2015, found that 82% had taken part in at least one public engagement activity in the previous year (78% in STEM subjects). The biggest barrier was competing pressure on time, cited by 61%.
- Sweden: a 2019 survey of 3,699 researchers by Vetenskap & Allmänhet (VA) found that over half would like to spend more time on science communication than they currently do. The main obstacle? “Too many tasks that have higher priority.”
So if you’ve ever thought, “I’d love to share my work, I just haven’t got round to it,” you’re in very good company. Here are six reasons to make the time.
1. It’s Good for Your Career
Sharing your research makes you, and your work, easier to find. A clear LinkedIn post, an up-to-date researcher profile or a public talk can put your name in front of future collaborators, employers and hiring panels. Our guide to building a social media strategy as a researcher is a good place to start.
Science communication is increasingly recognised in its own right, too. The European Research Council’s Public Engagement with Research Awards, for example, offer €10,000 each to up to eight ERC grantees whose engagement work has reached audiences beyond their field.
2. It Can Help You Win Grants
Funders want to know how your research will reach people beyond your field. For EU-funded projects, communication activities must already be part of the proposal, and the European Commission’s Funding & Tenders Portal states that “communication will be taken into consideration as part of the award criteria”.
In Switzerland, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) funds science communication directly. Its Agora scheme supports projects that bring researchers into dialogue with the public, with budgets of up to CHF 50,000 or up to CHF 200,000. The current rolling call for smaller projects is open until 23 December 2026, and from 22 February 2027 proposals can be submitted on a rolling basis via the SNSF Portal.
There’s a practical bonus as well: if you’re used to explaining your work in plain language, writing the lay summary or impact section of a grant application becomes far less painful.
Tip: Keep a simple log of your talks, posts, school visits and media mentions. Evidencing your impact is much easier when you’re not trying to remember it all the night before the deadline.
3. It Reminds You Why Your Research Matters
When you’re troubleshooting a protocol for the fifth time, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. Explaining your research to someone outside your field makes you answer the most important question of all: so what?
To explain your work clearly, you have to step back and analyse why it matters. What problem are you solving? Who could it help? Working through these questions, as you would when writing a lay summary, often sharpens your own thinking and can even reveal new angles or collaborators.
And on a tough week in the lab, being reminded of why you started can be a welcome boost.
4. It Builds Trust in Science
Trust in science is high in Switzerland, but it can’t be taken for granted. The Science Barometer Switzerland 2025 found that the share of sceptics has edged up slightly, and almost half of respondents don’t consider AI a reliable source of information on scientific topics.
When researchers explain their own work, including what they found and how certain they are, people get a reliable alternative to rumour and misinformation. Being open about uncertainty helps people trust the process, not just the results.
5. It Inspires the Next Generation
Every researcher was once a curious child asking “why?”. A school visit, a stand at a science festival or a short video about your work could spark that curiosity in someone else.
Meeting real researchers can make a research career feel possible for young people who might never have considered it. Our round-up of science communication events every researcher should know about is full of ways to get involved.
6. It Gives Something Back
Much research is funded by the public, through taxes and charitable donations. Sharing what you’ve found is a way of saying thank you, and of showing people what their support achieves.
It also helps your findings reach the people they matter to most: patients and their families, policymakers, practitioners, and communities who could use your results.
Final Thoughts
People want to hear about research, and many researchers would like to share more of theirs. Taking your work beyond the lab can support your career, strengthen your grant applications, remind you why your research matters, build trust in science, inspire future scientists, and give something back.
You don’t need to do it all at once. Pick one small step this month: write a three-sentence summary of your latest paper, post about it on LinkedIn, or sign up for a local science event. Next time someone asks what you do all day, you’ll have an answer ready, and they might just ask for more.
Your research has a story worth telling, so go on, share it!
