Scientists and scientific institutions are sometimes labeled as 'ivory towers' that are isolated from the real world. As university and college educators, scientists often interact with students who believe that science is too hard for them to learn, or students claim they've never been good in science and math when faced with a suboptimal grade. Television and video-based media present scientists as "mad" or wacky, and scientific techno-babble sensu the Star Trek industry is what many viewers interpret as a normal depiction of science as a process. To present science in a user friendly environment without undermining the essence of science, it is necessary to make an effort to bring science to the public in a palatable format. Scientific outreach can be achieved on multiple levels that reinforce one another. For example, scientists can interact with the media to help reporters understand important concepts so that the information can be translated into jargon that has less "techno-babble" than what can be easily understood by nonscientists. Scientists can also interact with the public through the development of educational websites, public lectures, and by volunteering their time to youth organizations or K-12 programs. Research institutions such as museums, botanical gardens, and the like develop programs to educate the public on scientific issues. This symposium presents scientific outreach as different levels of opportunities from the perspective of scientists, educators, institutions, and the media.

Key words: future of science, science news, science policy, scientific outreach