UK Young Academy – a forum for early career researchers

The UK Young Academy is bringing together a network of researchers, innovators, clinicians, professionals, academics and entrepreneurs to tap into their collective potential and expertise to tackle important issues in society.

The founding members of the UK Young Academy will shape the strategy and focus of the organisation. Applicants are invited from a variety of sectors; you will be at the early stage of your professional career and have made significant contributions to your fields.

UK Young Academy members will join the global initiative of Young Academies, with the UK Young Academy becoming the 50^th and latest to join the Young Academy movement. 

Professor Dame Anne Johnson DBE PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said the following:

“The road to a healthier future will be built by researchers from diverse backgrounds connecting across disciplines and career stages to share ideas and hear from people with different lived experiences. The UK Young Academy will create an exciting and unique forum for great minds to tackle the challenges that face us all now, and in the future. I am delighted that the Academy of Medical Sciences is a founding partner."

Why join the UK Young Academy?

Dr Ruth Bowness, Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard awardee, reflects on her experience as a member of the Young Academy Scotland.

“Being part of the Young Academy of Scotland (YAS) has been such a valuable experience for me. I have had the chance to network with a diverse and broad group of people - across sectors - who all have a shared passion to use their skills to help society. Being part of YAS gives opportunities to work on amazing projects such as Research the Headlines and the Charter for Responsible Debate. It also allows you to engage wider in so many different initiatives – for example enterprises that I personally am passionate about: outreach activities, championing open science, and mentoring schemes to help young people. Being part of YAS also facilitates interactions with other Young Academies across the world and allows participation in developing responses to enquiries in collaboration with Royal Society of Edinburgh Fellows.”

“I am so excited to hear about the formation of a UK Young Academy and would strongly encourage anyone who has a desire to use their skills to help society to apply to become a member.”

The UK Young Academy has been set up initially under the auspices of the Royal Society, in partnership with the Academy of Medical Sciences, British Academy, Learned Society of Wales, Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Irish Academy and Royal Society of Edinburgh. In the future, the UK Young Academy may become a fully independent entity or decide to move under one of the other partner academies. This will be determined by its members and the executive group, once they are in place.