Now in its fifth year, the 3M State of Science Index (SOSI) is an annual, independent global research study, carried out by Ipsos, that explores how people view science across the world.

Spanning 17 countries, its purpose is to examine the image of science, its relevance to the world, and its impact on society. Insights from the study power 3M’s science advocacy efforts.

SOSI enables us to continue tracking trust in science and its relevance to people's lives as well as explore key themes, such as misinformation, STEM equity, health equity and sustainability.

2022 EMEA key findings

​​​​For EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), the latest results show that urgent action is needed to increase diversity and equity in STEM for the benefit of all, and this is an area where we will continue to focus our efforts to make an impact.

The 2022 results show that appreciation and trust in science is increasing, but there is more to do. We must use our voice to show that building a diverse pipeline of STEM talent will enable us to come up with the scientific solutions needed to create a brighter future for us all.

This year’s results underscore that science will continue to impact our lives in ways that are tangible, relevant and personal in the ‘next normal' era. Living through the pandemic has positively impacted the public’s appreciation and trust in science and, over the next five years, more than half the world expects to appreciate science more than they do today. 

Here are five major takeaways from the 2022 SOSI research for Europe: 

• Misinformation is a major threat to scientific credibility
• Diversity and equity in STEM requires urgent improvement 
• People do not see skilled trades as viable careers 
• Many fear the personal impact of climate change and extreme weather 
• Improving care quality is an absolute priority 

Key statistics from SOSI include: 

• 88% of Europeans trust science and 85% trust scientists 
• Scepticism toward science is at just 24%, 5 points lower than the global average 
• 42% of Europeans believe science is very important to their everyday lives, way below the global average of 56% 

The European results are based on 1,000 general population respondents from each of these countries: France; UK; Italy; Germany; and Poland.