Young Academy of Sweden
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has established a new academy for young researchers within all disciplines working in Sweden. The aim is to create an interdisciplinary forum and research-political platform for young researchers in Sweden.
The Young Academy of Sweden is growing
NOVEMBER 1 2011 During 2012 the Young Academy of Sweden will elect six new members. Like previously, the criteria for membership are excellence in science and engagement for the young academy's areas of interest. As the young academy’s aim is to represent all research disciplines, and at the present has too few members from the Social Sciences, Mathematics and the Humanities, we especially welcome leading researchers in Sweden from these areas to apply. The members of the Young Academy of Sweden are elected for a term of five years without re-election possibilities.
The new members will be presented at the Young Academy of Sweden’s celebratory birthday 27 May 2012.
What does the Young Academy of Sweden do?
NOVEMBER 1 2011 Already during its first month of existence, May 2011, the Young Academy of Sweden had the chance to comment on the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 – the future Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (available in pdf-format on the right). The Academy has also made other comments and debate articles, for example a to The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research’s strategy document for 2012–2017, and a debate article for the Swedish journal Kemivärlden Biotech med Kemisk Tidskrift (the Journal of Chemistry and Biotech).
19 OCTOBER 2011 The Young Academy of Sweden arranged the workshop Universities as creative environments at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
A new academy is born
The Young Academy of Sweden was founded on 27 May 2011 with a ceremony for invited guests. Immediately after the ceremony the first members was announced and presented themselves.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences elected the first 22 members for excellence in science and engagement for the young academy's areas of interest. The first members of the young academy will independently form an election process and gradually increase the number of members up to approximately 40.
Young academies have started in several countries, for example in Germany and the Netherlands, and in the spring 2010 also a Global Young Academy was inaugurated (links below).
The Young Academy of Sweden is financially supported by The Ragnar Söderberg Foundation.
A new symbol
Since a couple of centuries it is common for academies, universities and learned societies to use signets and heraldic marks as visual representatives. These symbols are regulated within the art of heraldry, and every element is given a particular meaning. At first sight, the Young Academy of Sweden remains within this tradition, with its central adjustment, the capital letters and a symbol that resembles a signet. The name, not the least, indicates what this is.
For the Young Academy of Sweden’s symbol however, something new appears. At a closer look the symbol does not contain any significative elements at all! There are both traces of a signet and seeds to something new.
The Sweden’s Young Academy’s symbol shall promote new thinking, be perceived as transparent and encourage diverse interpretations. The tiny strokes could be seeds, ideas or even a mess. It is brave and something that spires.