As a member of the Young Academy of Sweden, you will join a forum where a selection of Sweden's leading younger researchers gather to discuss issues broadly related to research and science. As a driven researcher, here you have the opportunity to bring your ideas to life. The Young Academy of Sweden is funded by both private and public research funders and is supported by a secretariat. Membership lasts for five years. As a researcher, you can apply to the academy by submitting an application.
Applications will reopen on October 24.
Depending on your interests, you will have opportunities to engage in a variety of activities. These may include advocating for research policy, developing your skills in popular science communication, inspiring children and young people to take an interest in science, and growing as an academic leader. As the activities are driven by the academy's members, priorities and activities may change over time. However, a constant remains: the high level of dedication among the members.
Ewa Machotka, Yaffa Epstein and Juan Rocha at an Academy meeting in Berlin. Photo: YAS
The Young Academy of Sweden welcomes applications from researchers across all disciplines who meet the following criteria:
Applicants with an international background are more than welcome to apply. The working language of the academy is Swedish, but we adopt a pragmatic approach to language, using English when necessary and possible. However, as many activities are conducted in Swedish, non-Swedish speaking members are encouraged to learn the language during their membership to fully participate.
Please note, ‘independent’ implies that you are pursuing an independent research line and have established yourself as a researcher, typically signifying progression beyond postdoctoral level.
SUA at Museum für Naturkunde Berlin. Photo: SUA
Photo: Unsplash
The application period occurs in late autumn, with the deadline in early January. The election is carried out through a transparent process where interested researchers can apply by submitting an application.
Each year, the academy sets up an election panel to manage the application process and evaluate the applicants. This panel comprises academy members, and external expertise is sought as necessary to assess the applications.
Applicants are evaluated based on two main criteria:
Among the applicants who meet both criteria, those who are ranked highest based on the assessment criteria will be invited for interviews in early April 2024. The interviews will be conducted in the form of group discussions and aim to assess the applicant's motivation and ability to take part in the academy's activities.
The new members will be welcomed to the Academy at the celebration of the anniversary in May.
The academy is an independent foundation with the vision of bringing together young researchers from all scientific fields to provide them with a platform to meet and influence society. Since its inception in 2011, the academy has established itself as a visible and active player in the national research and higher education system. The academy contributes with the younger researchers' perspectives, with creative ideas – sometimes challenging prevailing patterns – and underlines the importance of high-quality research.
All activities within the academy are initiated by the members and carried out with the support of a secretariat consisting of six people. The secretariat and the ongoing activities are led by the CEO of the Foundation for the Young Academy of Sweden. YAS is funded by several private and public research funders.
The basis of the Academy's activities consists of so-called academy meetings, two-day residential gatherings. The academy meetings are held four to five times a year and the meeting location rotates around the country and abroad to offer connections with important individuals and institutions in the local environment.
At the academy meetings, members meet across university and discipline boarders. Members come together to broaden their perspectives and address major current issues. It is at these meetings that decisions about the upcoming activities are made, new ideas for activities are generated and captured, members present their research, and interdisciplinary initiatives take place.
YAS participates in the research policy debate through, among other things, Op-Eds, seminars and consultation responses. Our aim is for Sweden to be an attractive country for research, and we want to strengthen the quality of Swedish research. As a voice for researchers in the early or middle stages of their careers, we contribute the experiences and perspectives that are unique to the next generation of research leaders.
Strengthen independent research, show the attractiveness of Sweden to international talents, and provide researchers with opportunities to interact with society. These are some of YAS' suggestions for the upcoming research proposition.
Through international collaborations, we enhance the impact of the academy, expand the members' network, and gain inspiration and ideas from abroad. We also participate in forums where international research policy issues can be discussed.
We collaborate especially with other young academies around the world. We are very active in the network between the Nordic-Baltic countries, the European countries, and we have bilateral collaborations with several young academies outside of Europe.
Working with children and young people is a matter of passion for us. We want to show that research is exciting, and challenge stereotypes about who is and who can become a researcher. Therefore, one of our focus areas is to increase interest and understanding for research and science among the general public, that is, with particular focus on children and young people.
We want to show what it means to be a researcher, spread understanding of a scientific approach, and inspire conversations about the importance of research for societal development.
We usually get around 65–80 applications and bring in 6–8 new members annually. This means it's pretty competitive. If you don't make it on your first try, we encourage you to apply again. It's not uncommon for members to apply multiple times before getting in.
No, new members need to apply on their own initiative.
We're very much a hands-on academy, and the more time you put in, the more rewarding it is to be a member 🙂 The whole academy typically meets four times a year for two-day meetings. Besides these, members participate, to varying degrees, in both internal and external activities. The operation is supported by private and public research funders and is run with the assistance of a secretariat.
The first step is to submit an application, the application period is usually open from November until the beginning of January. A selection panel evaluates the scientific merits of all applicants and invites the best candidates for an interview. Based on this, the selection panel recommends new members for formal election by the academy.
The work of the Young Academy of Sweden is based on support from funders who want to strengthen young researchers and the impact of research. Support for the academy gives a stronger voice and greater opportunities for new academic leaders to emerge.
Find out who the current members of the Young Academy of Sweden are.
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