Press Release: Monday 4 March

RSE Young Academy of Scotland Welcomes 50 New Members

The RSE Young Academy of Scotland (YAS) is pleased to announce the appointment of 50 new members. They will join the 68 existing members from April 1st. Almost two hundred applications were received for membership. These were considered by RSE Fellows and the trustees of the Young Academy including its Co‐Chairs. The new members, 26 women and 24 men, range in ages from 28 to 43. Practitioners and academics are represented and a variety of disciplines are covered including: photography; government; archaeology; astrobiology; robotic systems; obesity; and human rights.

Chris O’Sullivan, one of four Young Academy co‐chairs commented, “I speak for all members of the Young Academy in welcoming the successful applicants. The new members are based in institutions and organisations across Scotland, and come from a range of disciplines. The quality of applications was extremely high, from both academic and professional fields, and it is exciting to see the Young Academy growing. Over the past eighteen months the Young Academy has developed work streams in health, education, equality and constitutional reform, areas in which many applicants felt they had a contribution to make. We look forward to the added value that the new members will bring to the work programmes we have, and to the new ideas and experiences they will contribute.”

Professor Alice Brown, General Secretary of the RSE added, “The RSE is delighted with the progress that the Young Academy has made since it was established in 2011 and I am sure that this new cohort of members will strengthen the YAS further. The members of the Young Academy are people who have already achieved much at relatively early stages of their careers. Bringing talented people from a range of backgrounds together to discuss how to tackle the challenges of the modern age is a key component of the strategy of the RSE to promote a New Enlightenment in Scotland. I fully expect many of the members of the Young Academy to become the leaders of the future in Scotland.”

As well as welcoming the new members, the Young Academy of Scotland recently had two of its members appointed to the Global Young Academy, Drs Karen Lorimer and Rob Jenkins, demonstrating the international nature of the Young Academy movement. The Global Young Academy aims to give young scientists a voice and encourage the development of novel approaches to problems of international significance. Dr Lorimer is a medical sociologist at Glasgow Caledonian University, specialising in sexual health research. Dr Jenkins is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Glasgow. They will join members from across 54 countries, with each member serving a four‐year term. http://www.globalyoungacademy.net/

Information for Editors

The RSE Young Academy of Scotland fosters interdisciplinary activities among emerging leaders from the disciplines of science and humanities, the professions, the arts, business and civil society. Established by the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2011, the Young Academy of Scotland provides a platform for able and innovative young entrepreneurs, professionals and academics to develop a coherent and influential voice, and to address the most challenging issues facing society in Scotland and beyond.

The Young Academy provides a means of reaching beyond the professional environments in which members work, thus contributing to policy and practice in all areas. It provides an opportunity for its members to interact across disciplines and professions with decision makers, opinion formers and experts, business leaders, funding bodies, national institutions, the public and the media within Scotland, the UK and internationally.

The first cohort of 68 members joined in the autumn of 2011. The Young Academy is anticipated to grow to a maximum membership of 150 or so after three years.

The Young Academy of Scotland is part of a growing international movement in which national academies are establishing young academies across Europe and beyond. In its first year the Young Academy of Scotland has participated in the Global Young Academy meeting in South Africa, and has engaged with other European Young Academies.

A recent initiative of the Young Academy of Scotland involves being a partner in a new photographic competition open to scholars across Europe. Images of Fascination is a collaboration between the Young Academies of Germany, the Netherlands, Scotland, Sweden and Russia. The competition seeks images that answer the question ‘What makes research fascinating?’, a key question in encouraging research and inspiring young people to academic careers. A selection of images will be curated into a touring exhibition which will visit each of the participating Young Academy countries later this year. Entry is free, and the competition is open until April 15th. For more information http://imagesoffascination.net/

For further information about this press release, or the work of the Young Academy of Scotland, please contact Bristow Muldoon, Head of Policy Advice, Royal Society of Edinburgh [email protected] 07766 915218 / 0131 240 2787 or Dr Lesley Campbell, Young Academy Manager, [email protected] 0131 240 5012.Young Academy members are available to speak to by arrangement.

The RSE Young Academy of Scotland is part of The RSE Scotland Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation No. SCO43194

New Young Academy Members

Blanca Antizar‐Ladislab. Environmental engineering. Senior Lecturer,

Donna Bell. Early Years policy. Head of Early Years Quality Improvement Unit, Scottish Government

Luke Graham Bisby. Fire Safety Engineering. Reader, University of Edinburgh

Adam Bock. Entrepreneurship/commercialisation. Lecturer , University of Edinburgh

Helen Louise Bridle. Water monitoring. RAEng and EPSRC Research Fellow, Heriot‐Watt University

Geoffrey David Bromiley. Deep Earth geology. Lecturer, University of Edinburgh

Christine Anna Caldwell. Social learning & cultural evolution. Senior Lecturer,

Catherine Suzanne Julienne Cazin. Organic & inorganic synthetic chemistry. Royal Society University Research Fellow, University of St Andrews

Christopher James Dalglish. Archaeology. Lecturer, University of Glasgow

Michaela Tanya Dewar. Neuropsychology/memory impairment. RSE and Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland Personal Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh

Mary Kathleen Doherty. Mass spectrometry/proteomics . Lecturer, University of the Highlands and Islands

Marc Richard Dweck. Cardiology. Specialist Registrar. Lecturer, University of Edinburgh

Sophie Jane Ellison. Social research. Senior Consultant, Blake Stevenson Ltd

Elizabeth Anne Fairley. Business owner/consultancy. Scientific Consultant, N/A

Heather Margaret Ferguson. Infectious disease ecology/malaria. Lecturer, University of Glasgow

Duncan Hugh Forgan. Astrophysics & astrobiology. Post‐doc Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh

Emma Frow. Science/social science policy development. Lecturer, University of Edinburgh

Jens Hagendorff. Governance & regulation of financial institutions. Professor, University of Edinburgh

Andrea Hamilton. Physical sciences applied to material conservation. Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh

Patrick George Harkness. Space systems engineering/deployable systems. Lecturer, University of Glasgow

Eva Hevia. Mixed metal chemistry. Royal Society University Research Fellow. Reader, University of Strathclyde

Stefan Hild. Detection of gravitational waves. Lecturer, University of Glasgow Sharon June Hutchison. Public health/addictions and health‐inequalities . Principal Research Fellow, University of Strathclyde Business School

Christopher Stuart Jones. Middle English Language and Literature. Senior Lecturer, University of St Andrews

Alexander Kagansky. Epigenetics. Programme Leader, MRC Human Genetics Unit

Sara Karly Kehoe. Religiosity, national identity, ethnicity in the British World. Lecturer, Glasgow Caledonian University

Tobias Kelly. Human rights, humanitarianism and political violence. Lecturer, University of Edinburgh

Olga Kozlova. Enterprise development/ business development, commercialisation. Enterprise Creation Manager, Heriot‐Watt University

Per Ola Kristensson. Human‐computer interaction technologies. SICSA Lecturer. EPSRC Research Fellow, University of St Andrews

Gurjit Singh Lalli. Event organisation/ development and communication of ideas. Director, Power of Youth

Jennifer Logue. Obesity, metabolic medicine. Clinical Senior Lecturer. CSO/NES Clinician Scientist Fellow, Glasgow BHF Cardiovascular Research Centre

Malcolm Macdonald. Space technology, UK space policy definition. Deputy Head of Department, University of Strathclyde

Simon Ross Maclean Mackenzie. Transnational crime, white‐collar crime ,organised crime, policing. Professor, University of Glasgow

Fiona Jennet McNeill. Artificial Intelligence. Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh

Michail Mersinis. Fine Art/ photography. Lecturer. Artist, Glasgow School of Art

Ingela Kristina Naumann. Early years policy and education governance in welfare states. Lecturer, University of Edinburgh

Bernadette O’ Rourke. Role of language in social difference and inequality. Lecturer, Heriot‐Watt University

Elizabeth Patton. Melanoma/drug development. MRC Career Track Scientist (Group Leader)., Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre

Kate Perkins. Administration/management. Private Secretary, Scottish Government

Subramanian Ramamoorthy. Intelligent and autonomous robotic systems. Lecturer, University of Edinburgh

Christian Rutz. Tool use in non‐human animals. Reader. BBSRC David Phillips Fellow, University of St Andrews Anne Schwan. History of crime and punishment. Literary study in present‐day prisons. Reader, Edinburgh Napier University

Valeria Skafida. Health and food inequalities in Scotland. British Academy post doc Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh

Stewart Smith. Biomedical engineering. RCUK Academic Fellow, University of Edinburgh

David Smith. Education policy. National Development Officer/Teaching Fellow, Education Scotland/

Doerthe Tetzlaff. Catchments and river systems. Professor , University of Aberdeen

Andrew Richard Timming. Employee involvement and participation. Reader, University of St Andrews

Asier Uncitit‐Broceta. Chemical biology, medicinal chemistry. IGMM Academic Fellow. Company Director, Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre

Marcos Vidal. Cancer metastasis. Junior Group Leader, Beatson Institute for Cancer Research

Tiffany Annette Wood. Soft matter physics. Industrial Research Liaison, Edinburgh Complex Fluids Partnership