Cary Funk serves as a Senior Advisor for the Aspen Institute Science & Society Program, working on a range of special projects. Cary is past director of science and society research at Pew Research Center, where she led the Center’s public opinion surveys and qualitative studies to understand public views about the social, ethical and policy implications of science for society. She is a widely recognized expert on public trust in science and views on emerging developments in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and vaccines as well as issues related to climate, extreme weather, and an energy transition.
Her collaborative research reports include in-depth analysis of representation in the STEM workforce, factors driving diversity, equity and inclusion in STEM, and how people across racial and ethnic groups perceive and engage with science.
Funk has broad expertise in public opinion research and has specialized in public understanding of science topics for over two decades. In addition to her work at 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.
