We came together in Banff at a pivotal—and precarious—moment. Scientific communication is under increasing pressure. Policymakers are rewriting the rules. Researchers are navigating new technologies with rising expectations. Funders are demanding faster, more open sharing. Trust in science is being tested like never before. Scientific communication is under fire from multiple sides—challenged to do more, move faster, open up, and deliver impact, all while balancing on top of a legacy system.

Our goal for the day before the workshop was to step back from the noise of deadlines, deliverables, and day-to-day pressures — by getting outside, moving together, and creating community. Together, we were invited to create space to align around something bigger—a shared vision for the future of scientific communication. Not a vague ideal, but a movement we can name, shape, and build.

On the first day, we worked to surface patterns, mindsets, and possibilities, and began to frame a collective direction. The second day shifted gears—from vision to influence. We focused on what it would take to communicate that vision and become storytellers who could give the movement momentum:

• Sharpening our language,
• Strengthening our narratives, and
• Growing our collective capacity to move people—from funders and policymakers to publishers, researchers, and the public.

After our time together in Banff, we set the intention to build a roadmap to carry this shared vision forward. We knew that change doesn’t speak for itself. It requires people willing to step up, speak out, and carry the message forward with clarity and conviction. But first, we needed something worth communicating—and that’s what we created together over those two days.