Fall 2026 (Vol. 18, Issue 1)

In this issue of Science Education and Civic Engagement: An International Journal, we are pleased to present three research articles, a project report, and a special section devoted to water. Together, these contributions reflect the many ways educators are connecting science learning to communities, civic questions, and the complex problems students encounter beyond the classroom. Our special section, introduced by guest editor Davida Smyth of Texas A&M University-San Antonio, focuses on water, an issue that is simultaneously local and global. The three contributions, by Alexis Denn and Davida Smith; Christine Girtain and Jane Hunt; and Jeena Joseph demonstrate how educators can use the water systems and challenges within their own communities as living laboratories. The projects connect students and teachers with wastewater treatment, watersheds, PFAS contamination, and questions of equity and access, while asking learners not simply to acquire scientific knowledge but to use evidence, make decisions, and consider possible responses to real problems. Our project report, by Morgane E. Golan, Steven L. Stice, and Holly A. Kinder of the University of Georgia, describes the Regenerative Bioscience Open House, an outreach initiative designed to connect secondary students and teachers with scientists working in an emerging biomedical field. Through hands-on experiences and direct interactions with researchers, the program seeks to make advanced science more accessible while supporting teachers, building relationships between schools and the university, and introducing students to possible STEM pathways. The authors also consider lessons learned from the program’s initial implementation, including the continuing challenge of reaching students in rural communities. Our three research articles examine different approaches to connecting scientific knowledge with broader communities and experiences. Kelly Casey Carroll and Lyndsey Blair of Bellarmine University investigate the impact of a community-engaged undergraduate microbiology course in which students partnered with Kentucky Watershed Watch to assess water quality and compare methods of detecting E. coli. Their findings suggest that community-engaged learning can strengthen students’ scientific identities, self-efficacy, and laboratory confidence while contributing to community-based environmental efforts. Kyra R.Shaw and colleagues explore an interdisciplinary independent study model that brought student artists into an ecology research laboratory to create works centered on wetland ecology. The resulting collaboration gave student artists opportunities to develop interdisciplinary skills while producing an exhibit that helped campus visitors learn about wetland wildlife and ecological research. The study offers a model for bringing science and art together in ways that benefit both participants and broader audiences. Katelyn Tenuto, Josie Trainor, and Alicia Wodika of Illinois State University examine the role a global health general education course can play in developing students’ civic attitudes, behaviors, and sense of themselves as global citizens. Their study found increases in civic attitudes and engagement behaviors and points to the importance of giving students both the confidence and the opportunities to translate concern about local and global issues into action. Across these contributions, the settings and subjects vary widely, from microbiology and watershed monitoring to regenerative bioscience, wetland ecology and art, and global health. Yet a common thread emerges: science education is most meaningful when students have opportunities to connect what they learn with the world around them. Whether through research, creative collaboration, community partnerships, or civic engagement, these projects demonstrate how educators can help students move beyond acquiring knowledge to applying it in ways that matter. We thank our authors for sharing their work and hope that the ideas presented in this issue will encourage readers to explore new possibilities for connecting science education and civic engagement in their own classrooms and communities. Matt Fisher Trace Jordan, Co-Editors-in-Chief  Marcy Dubroff, Managing Editor  Download the entire issue