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Swiss Young Academy SYA
Swiss Young Academy elects eight new members
The Swiss Young Academy will admit eight new members at its next Members' Assembly meeting. The newly elected members impressed with their scientific profile, their original ideas for shaping the science system and their commitment to dialogue between science, society and politics. Over the next five years, they will work together with the existing 26 members of the Young Academy on interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects that will provide new impetus.
The new members were elected on the basis of a careful selection by a diverse Election Commission. This consisted of members of the Swiss Young Academy as well as representatives of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences. The committee reviewed a large number of applications, which represented an impressive range of disciplinary backgrounds, personal perspectives and innovative project ideas. Many of the proposals submitted addressed current societal challenges and showed great potential for impact beyond the academic world.
"We were very impressed by the high quality of the applications, which made the process both inspiring and very challenging," emphasises the Election Commission. "The selection was not easy - there were significantly more convincing candidates than available places." During the selection process, the committee paid particular attention to the diversity of personal experience and disciplinary backgrounds as well as a good representation of language regions, genders and scientific organisations in Switzerland. In the end, the decision was made in favour of eight personalities who impressed not only with their academic excellence, but also with their social commitment and their visions for open, dialogue-oriented science. The five-year membership of the new members will officially begin at the meeting of the Members' Assembly on 5 June 2025.
The new members of the Swiss Young Academy are:
Marion Badi, R&D Project Lead / Guest lecturer; Helbing Technik Bern / Haute école de paysage, d’ingénierie et d’architecture de Genève (HEPIA)
Mosè Cometta, Postdoc, Institute of Urban and Landscape Studies / Accademia di architettura; Università della Svizzera italiana (USI)
Mélodie Derome, Postdoctoral fellow, Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern
Jiaxin Duan, Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Photon Science, Paul Scherrer Institute
Johanna Hornung, Assistant Professor, Institute of Political Studies (IEP), University of Lausanne
Celestin Mutuyimana, Postdoctoral Researcher and Psychotherapist, Collegium Helveticum, University of Zurich
Abishek Narayan, Scientist, Deptartement of Water, Sanitation and Solid Waste for Development, Eawag
Monika Plozza, Senior research associate / Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Lucerne
Members of the Swiss Young Academy are given the opportunity to contribute creatively to the dialogue between science and society through their membership. In an innovative environment with other motivated and talented scientists from a wide range of disciplines and universities, members realise projects, activities and events.
In order to further develop the existing scientific system, members can contribute their specific concerns as the young voice of science in various forums. They can also take advantage of a mentoring programme and other personal support measures to promote their careers.
The Election Commission would like to thank all candidates for their commitment and convincing contributions.