Science communication that fosters shared understanding, co-creation of meaning, and prompts large-scale change, is far from a one-way transmission of information. Rather, it is a multifaceted system that integrates different forms of knowledge and ways of knowing, attends to the complexity of social and environmental challenges, and conveys strong verbal and nonverbal skills (Brown et al., 2010). In this paper, the authors argue that effective science communication requires "engagement" rather than traditional knowledge transfer, and highlight the relevance of social considerations to accomplish effective engagement. The authors offer primary pathways for engagement that are key to spanning the boundary between science and society, and specify concrete suggestions for communication centers to implement these pathways. The authors conclude by discussing examples wherein social factors played a role in successful engagement.