Finally, a special thank you to the 24 incredible scientists who took the time to speak with me about their experiences.

So why does it matters: Public trust in science is at a critical moment. How scientists present themselves online feeds into what people believe science is—and can be—and who it’s for.

For instance: a post meant to “humanize” may be read as unscientific by some; what’s “authentic” to one audience feels too informal to another.

In other words, they're performing scientific identity, trust, and credibility, as it's co‑constructed with audiences and platform norms.

But turning these goals into online practice can be challenging. Scientists described constant negotiation with:

• platform constraints & affordances
• professional norms and institutional pressures
• audience expectations & reactions

Three overlapping goals emerged from their practices:

1) Humanize & challenge stereotypes: to show that scientists are people too
2) Build trust & credibility via authenticity
3) Push back on exclusionary narratives in STEM