...If the Gallup poll were done now, support would likely be even lower, given recent events with university presidents, from questions about their research integrity to their explanations for policies on student speech. I’m frequently asked what can be done about all of this, especially in the realm of science. Many scientists think the challenge has largely to do with science communication, which is certainly important. But first, the scientific community must begin to conduct itself in the same manner that it is asking of the public, and that means treating everyone in the scientific community with respect...

...When I was a university administrator, I was frequently visited by graduate students who were in distress after they had informed their adviser that they did not intend to pursue an academic research career. Suddenly, their adviser became less interested in them. I was dismayed by faculty who had apparently forgotten that they worked at a school, where helping students achieve success in the life that they choose is the goal. Academic researchers should be excited for students who want to contribute to scientific publishing, education, policy, and other endeavors where science needs much more help than it does in producing more grants and papers.

Nowhere is this elitism more apparent than in the behavior I sometimes see from academics toward the staff at Science’s journals. Many seem to think that having highly cited work and membership in exclusive academies gives them license to be dismissive of others. This is pure arrogance and ignorance. Professional editors are scientists who are highly capable and trained to handle papers. Too often, an editor’s decisions are attacked as thoughtless output from an underling rather than insightful determinations from a true colleague. I have worked with both excellent academic departments and with outstanding professional editors, and talking science in both environments is equally stimulating and challenging. Furthermore, the people who handle the visual, communication, and technical details do important things that no researcher can. As it turns out, these individuals are not just among the most capable people in scientific publishing, they’re among the most capable people in the enterprise of science...