14 February 2025
The Young Academy of Sweden participated from 12th to 14th February in an international conference in Busan, South Korea, organised by the Young Korean Academy of Science and Technology (Y-KAST). The theme was sustainability, and young academies from various parts of the world contributed.
Sofia Lodén, Chair of The Young Academy of Sweden and Young Keun Kim, Chair of Y-KAST.
At the conference, members of the Young Academy of Sweden participated in discussions and highlighted the role of interdisciplinary approaches in sustainability issues. A session where humanities perspectives met technological solutions led to enriching discussions. Chair Sofia Lodén emphasised the importance of strengthening cooperation between natural sciences, engineering, humanities, and social sciences, while Juan presented how ecosystems show signs of loss of resilience and how multiple disciplinary perspectives contribute to understanding and managing this.
Solving sustainability challenges requires us to build bridges between disciplines and create usable knowledge, despite jargon and professional boundaries. The Young Academy of Sweden is a good example of how interdisciplinary conversations can take place, not least in dialogues with decision-makers.
Juan C. Rocha, researcher in sustainability science at Stockholm University
The conference also included a meeting with Korean students who showed great interest in international research and an academic career. The questions ranged from study opportunities abroad to how researchers balance career and private life.
It is crucial that the Young Academy of Sweden continues to develop cooperation with Y-KAST and other international academies.
Sofia Lodén, chair, professor of French at Stockholm University
Before the conference, Sofia visited the Swedish embassy in Seoul and met with the research council Lars Hammarström, who testified to a great interest in research collaborations between Sweden and South Korea. Lars explained that the government has decided to dissolve the research council in Seoul. Sofia expressed concern over what this might mean for cooperation between the countries and the young academies.
The visit was both inspiring and significant. The discussions in Busan underscored the role of young academies in bringing together researchers from different fields and creating conditions for a more sustainable future.
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