About

The Young Academy of Europe (YAE) is a bottom-up initiative of a dynamic and innovative group of recognized European young scientists with outspoken views about science and science policy.

The key aims of the Young Academy of Europe are to:

Provide advice and feedback on science policy across Europe, from a “younger” perspective;

Involve top young scientists in the future European research strategy, such as Long Range Plans and ESF Roadmaps;

Promote evidence based policy across all European countries;

Support other young scientists in Europe in their further development and in thinking strategically about the future of their own discipline;

Create and foster a network of top young researchers across the disciplines in Europe.

The YAE seeks to widen participation across Europe and across the research domains.

Mission

The Young Academy of Europe is a dynamic and innovative group of top European young scientists with outspoken views about science and science policy.

The YAE focuses on (but is not limited to) the following main aims and activities:

Science Policy: The YAE acts as a voice for young researchers by actively reaching out to policy makers in an attempt to influence science policy and contribute to the development of a European science agenda for the coming decades;

Evidence-based policy: The YAE endorses evidence-based policy across all European countries, and its members comprising internationally recognized scientists and scholars across all disciplines seek to actively contribute their expertise towards this goal;

Networking: Efficient communication of the YAE’s activities is a key component to strengthening the solidarity and networking amongst exceptional young researchers in Europe in order to create a pool of information, pass on experience, give feedback, and provide active support to colleagues across Europe and future generations of leading scientists;

Science Communication: The YAE encourages young scientists to communicate their research to the general public in Europe, in particular scientific and scholarly issues which affect society, quality of life and standards of living;

Interdisciplinary exchange: The YAE aims at functioning as a European platform fostering interdisciplinary and international scientific exchange, collaboration, and knowledge transfer amongst its members and beyond borders.

Unconscious bias: The selection of new members for the Young Academy of Europe, the elections of members to serve on its board, and the award of prizes by the Academy should be carried out objectively and professionally. Click here to download unconscious bias file.

History

Following meetings in 2010 and 2011 of newly funded grant holders at the national level, a kick-off meeting with 11 young scholars and scientist from various member states(1) was held in Paris in September 2011. At this meeting, possible routes towards establishing a Young Academy of Europe were discussed, and its aims and activities were defined.

The Young Academy of Europe was formally established as an independent association of top young researchers in Europe at a constitutive meeting held in Brussels on 7/8 December 2012. Also in December 2012, the YAE established a partnership with Academia Europaea (AE). The Chair and Vice-chairs of the YAE have a standing invitation to the board meetings of the AE, and vice versa.

Board

The YAE Board consists of the following members, elected on September 2017:

Raúl Arenal (Communications Vice-Chair)

Kate Black (Communications Chair)

Sylvestre Bonnet (Selection Committee Vice-Chair)

Monica Brinzei (Secretary)

Manuel Fernández-Götz (Membership Vice-Chair)

Yan Lavallee (Selection Committee Chair)

Sebastian Leidel (Treasurer)

Lydia Schumacher (Selection Committee Vice-Chair)

Karin Sigloch (Membership Chair)

Mangala Srinivas (Vice-Chair)

Toma Susi (Membership Vice-Chair)

Marcel Swart (Chair)

Organization and governance

The YAE is an international, non-governmental association of individual scientists and scholars who are experts and leaders in their respective fields, as recognized by their peers. All YAE Members are bound by the Code of Conduct established by the YAE Board on 2016-03-16.

The YAE is administered by a Board. It is divided into three Domains, namely Physical Sciences and Engineering (PE), Life Sciences (LS) and Social Sciences and Humanities (SH). The members of the Board of the YAE are selected from among its members representing the three Domains.

The Board’s main function is to support members’ work by guiding and coordinating their ideas and activities. The Board serves as the first point of contact for external parties and for the AE. The Board consists of a Chair, a Vice chair, an Outgoing chair, a Secretary, a Treasurer and the Chair of the Selection Committee, as well as Chairs and Vice chairs for each of the three domains. At the Annual General Meeting, the YAE members elect the Board members for a term of three years, and directly elect the Chair and Vice chair of the Academy. The other resorts are assigned within the board. The YAE Chair and Vice chair have a standing invitation to the AE Board and vice versa.

The Selection Committee consists of five YAE members: The Chair of the Selection Committee, the Chair of the YAE and the Chairs of the three Domains. If a Chair is unable to attend the meeting, he or she will be replaced by his or her Vice chair. The Chair of the Selection Committee leads the selection process. He or she forwards a list of new members to the YAE Board, who take the final decision on the admission of new members.