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Cary Funk

Former Director, Science and Society Research

Cary Funk is director of science and society research at Pew Research Center, where she leads the Center’s efforts to understand the implications of science for society. Center studies look at the social, ethical and policy implications of scientific developments in areas such as climate and energy, emerging issues in genetic engineering, and food and space science. She has authored or co-authored a number of reports focused on public trust in science, scientific experts and science news and information.

Funk has broad expertise in public opinion research and has specialized in public understanding of science topics for nearly two decades. Prior to joining Pew Research Center, she directed the Virginia Commonwealth University Life Sciences Surveys, national surveys on science and biotechnology. Funk began her career at CBS News in New York working on preelection polling and analysis of exit polls. She earned a doctorate and a master’s in social psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Publications

reportJul 8, 2016

Half of Americans Say Threats From Infectious Diseases Are Growing

The rise of the Zika virus has caught public attention, and people are particularly worried about its threat to pregnant women
reportDec 11, 2015

Methodology

The American Trends Panel (ATP), created by Pew Research Center, is a nationally representative panel of randomly selected U.S. adults living in households. Respondents who self-identify as internet users (representing 89% of U.S. adults) participate in the panel via monthly self-administered web surveys, and those who do not use the internet participate via telephone or […]
reportDec 11, 2015

Acknowledgements

This report is a collaborative effort based on the input and analysis of the following individuals. Find related reports online at: www.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/science Primary Researchers Brian Kennedy, Research Associate Cary Funk, Associate Director, Research Research team Lee Rainie, Director, Internet, Science and Technology Scott Keeter, Director, Survey Research Kyley McGeeney, Research Methodologist Jeffrey Gottfried, […]
reportDec 11, 2015

2. Personality and interest in science, health topics

Beyond demographic differences, there is also an association between personality traits and interest in science and technology topics. In particular, Americans with a tendency to be open to new experiences, regardless of other characteristics, tend to express more interest in science and technology topics. There is a long history of attention to personality differences in […]
reportDec 11, 2015

1. Public interest in science, health and other topics

Most Americans express a broad interest in health and medicine, as well as in science and technology along with other topics. Seven-in-ten adults (70%) say they are interested in health and medicine, more than any other of the nine topics asked about in the survey. Large shares also say they are interested in local events […]
reportDec 11, 2015

Public Interest in Science and Health Linked to Gender, Age and Personality

Fully 32% of online adults say science and technology is among the topics they find most interesting; 37% say health and medicine.
reportDec 11, 2015

Public Interest in Science and Health Linked to Gender, Age and Personality

Fully 32% of online adults say science and technology is among the topics they find most interesting; 37% say health and medicine.
short readsNov 9, 2015

Majority of Americans say scientists don’t have an ideological slant

64% of Americans perceive scientists as neither liberal nor conservative.
short readsOct 22, 2015

5 facts about the interplay between religion and science

Religion and science have often been seen as being in conflict. But are religious faith and the scientific enterprise really at odds with each other?
reportOct 22, 2015

Perception of Conflict Between Science and Religion

How much do people’s religious beliefs influence their views about science topics? There was debate for centuries about the origins of the universe and how to explain stellar and planetary activities in the heavens. In more recent decades, there has been debate among religious leaders over the theory of evolution through natural selection since the […]