The first UK-wide national Young Academy – a network of early career researchers and professionals – is being launched today (14 June).
The UK Young Academy will bring together researchers, innovators, clinicians, professionals, academics, and entrepreneurs, ‘to tap into their collective potential and expertise to tackle important issues in society’. The initiative, as part of an interdisciplinary collaboration with the Academy of Medical Sciences, British Academy, Learned Society of Wales, Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Irish Academy, Royal Society of Edinburgh, and the Royal Society, aspires to connect emerging leaders with different knowledge and expertise, and include their voices in local and global policy discussions.
Professor Sir Jim McDonald FREng, FRSE, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering (pictured), said: “The UK Young Academy is a distinct and valuable opportunity for the progressive leaders of the future to work together in an interdisciplinary forum on the issues that matter to them. Like the other partners, we are deeply committed to building a truly diverse membership and inclusive community. I hope that early career innovators, professionals, researchers, and entrepreneurs across the UK and from all backgrounds, will be inspired to apply for membership. I look forward to hearing their voices, learning from them, being inspired by their passion and creativity, and seeing the difference that they will make to our society and our future.”
Dr Olga Kozlova, director of Innovation and Industry Engagement at the University of Strathclyde, and member of the UK Young Academy Appointments committee said: “As a former member of the Young Academy of Scotland, I can speak from experience about the value of bringing people early on in their careers together to collaborate and learn from one another in transforming the ways they look at the world.
“Successful innovators, entrepreneurs, and inventors of the future need the space and support to explore challenges from all angles, including the ones they hadn’t even known existed. This is the goal of the UK Young Academy; to enable cohesion between different sectors to solve societal challenges by harnessing talent across the country.”
Professor Duncan Cameron, Professor of Plant and Soil Biology at the University of Sheffield, and member of the UK Young Academy appointments committee, said: “As a member of the LGBTQ+ community and a disability advocate, I know finding solutions to global challenges requires contributions from different people with different life experiences. It is therefore central to the creation of the new UK Young Academy that members commit to establishing an inclusive and equal environment for all. We are committed to attracting a diverse membership, and will be taking steps throughout the assessment process to ensure that all applicants have an equal chance to succeed. In addition, we will champion members of the UK Young Academy to be role models for other early career professionals aspiring to make positive change.”
Applications for membership to the UK Young Academy are now open; details of selection criteria and how to apply can be found on the UK Young Academy website. Applications will close on 8 September 2022.