Prompted by the announced impending retirement of NCSE's executive director Eugenie C. Scott, the journal Nature devoted its May 15, 2013, editorial column to applauding NCSE's work. "The scientific community has much to learn from her example in the fight against pseudoscience," the editorial commented: "Science is necessary to defuse anti-science efforts, but not sufficient. Rather than simply deploying artilleries of scientific facts, the NCSE addresses the motivations and tactics of those who would misrepresent research."
Among the strategies for defending the integrity of science education mentioned were attacking dichotomous thinking, such as "false assumptions that a churchgoer cannot believe in evolution or that a scientist cannot believe in a higher power"; putting together "coalitions of people from diverse backgrounds to provide multiple perspectives"; and NCSE's Project Steve (now with 1273 Steves): "This light-hearted list of Stephens, Stephanies and similars now dwarfs the list of doubters, making a clear statement about where mainstream science stands."