2020 was an eye-opening, unrelenting experiment in exploring new directions in our personal and professional lives. Even now, as we move further into 2021 and beyond, we are considering what these changes and experiences might mean as we continue to collectively power forward. As we adjust to this “whole new world,” our industry bears a new level of responsibility as scholarship, scientific research, and advances in new scientific technologies (especially with respect to vaccinations) fall under a high-resolution microscope. Some might even say that scientific research and scholarship are “under fire” as citizen scientists and global citizens alike emerge to voice their advocacy, opinions, and concerns about public health, public security, climate change, and our collective responsibilities to each other as individuals of a greater global network. This session is the start of the conversation. It will focus specifically on the emerging responsibilities we now have as academic publishers, researchers, librarians, and citizens to uphold the rigor and impact of the advancements that have the greatest potential for positive influence around the world.