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Scientific research traditionally relies on objectivity, methodological rigor, and measurable outputs. Yet a growing body of scholarship recognises that these values need not come at the expense of relationships, ethical responsibility, and attentiveness to the people and communities that research aims to serve. “Compassionate Science” was developed to address this gap, and to encourage reflection on how compassion can be meaningfully embedded in research practice, whatever the discipline. We are delighted to announce the publication of our “Compassionate Science” report and the corresponding interview series, exploring how empathy and compassion shape research practice across disciplines.

He brings together people from within and beyond academia – with the aim of helping us respond more effectively to climate change. Benjamin Hofmann is a researcher at ETH Zurich’s TdLab. As a member of the Swiss Young Academy, teaching is particularly important to him.

Following the workshop "Teaching Tools for Bridging Science and Societal Partners", held on 23 June 2026 in Bern, our “Innovative Teaching” project group in collaboration with network for transdisciplinary research (td-net), invites lecturers and educators to submit concrete teaching tools for an add-on to the td-net toolbox, which contains methods and tools for co-producing knowledge. 

The members of the Swiss Young Academy elected their new Executive Board for the 2026/27 term at the Members' Assembly. The Executive Board subsequently appointed Clément Meier as Speaker and Clara Zemp as Vice-Speaker. Over the coming year, they aim to strengthen the voice of early-career researchers at a time when research faces increasing financial constraints and growing societal expectations. They will continue to advocate for a supportive and inclusive research environment, promote inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration, and foster science diplomacy as a means of strengthening international cooperation and contributing to science-based responses to global challenges.