On the afternoon of May 25^th, the Theory and Talent Forum of the 2024 Shanghai Science Communication Conference, hosted by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Science and Technology and the School of Media and Communication of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, took place at the Shanghai Science Hall. The theme of this conference is "Future-oriented Construction and Talent Cultivation of the Science and Technology Communication Discipline." Experts and scholars in the field of science communication both home and abroad were invited to gather their insights and engage in in-depth discussions on crucial topics, such as the construction and talent cultivation of science and technology communication discipline in the new era. He Jiaji, the Director of the Science Popularization Office of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Science and Technology, attended the event, and Jian Xu, the Interim Dean and Professor of the School of Media and Communication at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, delivered a speech.

In his welcoming remarks, Xu Jian emphasized the crucial role of science communication. He introduced the efforts and future plans made by Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the School of Media and Communication in science communication in recent years. He pointed out that, as a bridge between science and society, science communication has the significant responsibility of popularizing scientific and technological knowledge, improving public scientific literacy, and promoting technological innovation and social development. The construction and talent cultivation of the science and technology communication discipline in the digital era are particularly urgent. He expressed the hope to share ideas and exchange views with experts and scholars at the conference, jointly promote the vibrant development of the science and technology communication discipline, and make greater contributions to scientific and technological progress, as well as social development.

The keynote speech segment was hosted by Associate Professor Dongjing Kang from the School of Media and Communication at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Brilliant presentations were delivered by members of the conference, including Michelle Riedlinger, a member of the Scientific Committee of the network for the Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST) and Associate Professor at Queensland University of Science and Technology, Bernard Schiele, a founding member of the IPCST network and Professor at the University of Montreal, Brendan Barrett, Professor at Osaka University in Japan, and Zhou Rongting, the Director and Professor of the Department of Science and Technology Communication at the University of Science and Technology of China.

With the theme of "Science Communication for Social Benefit in an Automated World," Michelle Riedlinger shared her views on three aspects: the definition of technology communication, the relationship between technology communication and social interests, and how to use AI to empower science communication.

In his speech titled "Science Education as a Prerequisite to Talent Training," Bernard Schiele elaborated on the relationship between science and technology, culture, and society. He also proposed three paradoxes that modern social sciences face. That is, with the continuous development and growth of knowledge, ignorance of science also develops and grows; scientific authority is being questioned; science is both ubiquitous and unreachable.

Brendan Barrett gave a speech titled "Scientists Need to Be Good Story tellers" via video. He believes that scientists need to hone their science communication skills and use storytelling to communicate scientific and technological knowledge in a more simple, clear, and effective manner.

Zhou Rongting gave a speech on the theme of "building a practical system for industry, academia, and research, and strengthening the cultivation of talents in science and technology communication". Based on the recent practice and cases of science and technology communication at the University of Science and Technology of China, he discussed the school's exploration and ideas in industry university research collaboration, as well as how to cultivate a new generation of science and technology communication talents, focusing on the strategies of concept integration, organizational integration, content integration, technology integration, and market integration.

The roundtable discussion session was chaired by Professor Jia Hepeng from Suzhou University. Bernard Schiele, Michelle Riedlinger, Zhou Rongting, the Director and Professor of the Department of Science and Technology Communication at Soochow University, Wang Guoyan, the Deputy Director and Researcher of the Science Communication Center at the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, Song Xian, the Vice Dean and Professor of the School of Media and Communication at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Mou Yi, Associate Professor of the School of Oceanography at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Donald Pan, and other experts and scholars. The members, combining their rich practical experience and insights in science and technology communication, engaged in lively discussions on topics such as how to understand technology communication and science education, how to respond to the challenges and opportunities of science communication in the context of artificial intelligence, and how to cultivate a professional team of science communication talents.

Finally, the attending guests reached ten consensuses on the theme of "The Responsibility of Science Communication Educators in the AIGC Era", providing significant theoretical references for promoting international research on science communication. These ten consensuses include:

Joint Agreement

The Responsibilities of Science Educators

（1）Ethically and mindfully use mediums including generative AI in science communication scholarship and education to cultivate talents that are socially responsible for the changing technological landscape

（2）Build a culture of science through “love” of science or passion for science as a foundation for students to serve as effective science communicators

（3）Develop awareness of intertwined paradoxes in communicating science and science-related knowledge

（4）Create space in the classroom to coach scientists as good story-tellers

（5）Establish a collaborative system of industry and the university to enhance the diverse publics’ understanding of science

（6）Carry out interdisciplinary education programs by integrating scientists with communication scholars despite the resource restraints

（7）Engage arts, music, and other immersive and participatory mediums in the public education of science

（8）Make science communication education more resilient by engaging diverse languages

（9）Cultivate interpersonal communication skills such as active listening in small communicative instances for meaningful science communication education

（10）Bring different stakeholders into a dialogue and identify collective challenges of human beings