Science is woven into decisions that are made at every level of our lives. From international environmental agreements, responses to outbreaks of disease by community agencies, to many of the personal life style choices we make ourselves, understanding the science of the situation is essential for good decisions.

Science is also part of our curiosity-driven culture. A revolution in the electronic availability of information has fuelled interest in all that science tries to explain about the world around us. Science television programs are popular and interactive science centres are opening all over the world. People are being engaged by imaginative "free choice" learning experiences covering science and technology from outer space to the molecules of the brain. 

Those with an eye to industry and commerce argue that scientific and technological innovation is the engine that drives economic growth. A far sighted strategy for national prosperity in any country in the world will therefore encourage young people to choose careers in those fields. At the same time we are learning that growth without consideration of its environmental impact is not sustainable. Understanding the science that both promotes and constrains development must be part of the background of more people than just scientists.  

All these trends have created a need for effective science communicators. On the one hand we all need to understand the rapidly advancing information we need for weighing risks, making choices and questioning politicians and policy makers. On the other hand science contributes to our way of seeing the world, to our quality of life and to the future we promise our children. Science communicators will work in many areas, in different media and with different priorities, but all will need to illuminate science in the context of a changing and challenging world.