As part of the first cohort of 67 members, announced by UK and Ireland National Academies, Dr Christopher Stewart and Dr Amy Vincent will have the opportunity to help shape the strategy and focus of this new organisation.

Along with their fellow members from across academia, charity organisations and the private sector, they will have the chance to inform local and global policy discussions, galvanising their skills, knowledge, and experience to find solutions to the challenges facing societies now and in the future.

Important work

Dr Stewart, who is based at Newcastle University’s Transitional and Clinical Research Institute, said: “I have been aware of the important work by the Young Academy Scotland for some time and was excited to learn about the launch of the UK Young Academy. Ensuring every individual has the fairest possible chance to success is incredibly important to me.

“I have been involved in numerous initiatives at Newcastle University since joining the Faculty of Medical Sciences five years ago, including building strategies for improving opportunities and retention for underrepresented groups, including women and people from ethnic minorities.

“We have made fantastic progress and the hard work has led to deserved recognition, including the recent award of the Race Equality Charter Bronze Award.

“With my appointment to the first recruits in the UK Young Academy, I hope to expand the important work from within Newcastle University on a national and global scale and continue to strive for a future where all people are able to achieve their ambitions, regardless of background, circumstance, and privilege."

The UK Young Academy connects and develops talented individuals in the early years of their career from a wide range of sectors so they can collaborate to make a difference in the world.

It is part of a growing international initiative to give young, early-career innovators, professionals, academics and entrepreneurs a voice for the advancement of issues that are important to them.

The UK Young Academy gives its members the chance to have their perspectives, knowledge and insights represented as part of the wider landscape of academic and professional bodies in the UK.

Dr Vincent, from the Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research and John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre at Newcastle University, said: “I am incredibly privileged to be a part of the first cohort of the UK Young Academy.

“I am very passionate about science education, equality, diversity and inclusion in science careers and career development for early career researchers, and the UK Young academy presents an opportunity for us to build a better future.

“It's such an amazing initiative and I am excited to get started and see what we can achieve together."

The UK Young Academy has been established as an interdisciplinary collaboration with prestigious national academies: 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.

It joins the global initiative of Young Academies, with the UK Young Academy becoming the 50th to join the Young Academy movement.

Empowering researchers

Professor Julia Black, President of the British Academy, said: “We are delighted to join the other Academies in launching this exciting initiative. Empowering talented and ambitious researchers in the humanities and social sciences has always been a major priority for the British Academy.

“The Young Academy will help harness the drive, energy and passion of the next generation, providing them with a platform to make a real difference not just in their academic fields, but to the UK’s wider higher education and research sector.

“We wish the members of the Young Academy every success and look forward to seeing the fruits of their work.”

The successful applicants officially took up their posts on 1 January 2023, and membership runs for five years.