Filter by author: Josephine B. Schmitt

The commentary diagnoses a structural contradiction: policy, institutions, and funders often encourage outward-facing activity while outsourcing its risks to individual scholars or external institutions. Integrating interviews with climate change researchers (N=13) as a case study alongside selected scholarship (without claiming completeness), we document how institutional reputation can overshadow researcher-centered support, how training often underaddresses emotional and security burdens, and how assistance can wane when harassment escalates. While various studies — including our own — still point to inadequate support structures, there is a wide range of services on offer that could prove effective in the long term. We elaborate on some of these in more detail, with a particular focus on Germany as the authors' (academic) home country.

AI-generated avatars in science communication offer potential for conveying complex information. However, highly realistic avatars may evoke discomfort and diminish trust, a key factor in science communication. Drawing on existing research, we conducted an experiment (n = 491) examining how avatar realism and gender impact trustworthiness (expertise, integrity, and benevolence). Our findings show that higher realism enhances trustworthiness, contradicting the Uncanny Valley effect. Gender effects were dimension-specific, with male avatars rated higher in expertise. Familiarity with AI and institutional trust also shaped trust perceptions. These insights inform the design of AI avatars for effective science communication while maintaining public trust.