Young Academy Ireland announces first members

The Royal Irish Academy has announced the first members of the new Young Academy Ireland (YAI) – a network of early career researchers and innovators (ECRIs).

About the YAI

The YAI has been established to promote greater engagement and opportunities for ECRIs, supporting ECRIs in leadership roles, contributing to equality, diversity and inclusion, and developing networks and skills. In addition, Young Academy members are encouraged to utilise their expertise and potential to tackle important issues and challenges in society and promote meaningful change.

The YAI consists of forty members from Ireland and Northern Ireland and members were selected after a competitive recruitment process launched by the Royal Irish Academy last year. The successful candidates include researchers, academics, scientists, innovators, clinicians, economists, and professionals who have each made a significant contribution to their field and beyond their individual disciplines. Members represent a multi-disciplinary platform from the Life Sciences, Physical, Engineering, and Computer Sciences, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Business and Technology. 

Pat Guiry, President of the Royal Irish Academy said: 

‘We are proud to announce the members of the new Young Academy of Ireland. The Royal Irish Academy has established this platform for early career researchers to empower talented, emerging leaders and future leaders, and to give early career researchers a distinct voice in research and policy discussions.

The first cohort of Young Academy members are based across the island of Ireland and are planning to make a significant contribution to society by addressing many pressing national and global challenges. I wish the new Young Academy members every success in their endeavours and I look forward to working with them in the years ahead and to seeing the fruits of their important research.’

Medb Corcoran, Ireland Lead, Accenture Labs, said:  

‘We are delighted to support the announcement of the new Young Academy Ireland members. The Young Academy brings together early career researchers who are accomplished and skilled in a wide range of disciplines and will collectively contribute to a prosperous and better Ireland and beyond our shores. We are pleased to support this forum and I look forward to the exciting opportunities and projects the Young Academy Members will undertake to find ground-breaking solutions to the challenges facing societies now and in the future.’

The YAI joins the global initiative of Young Academies, with the YAI becoming the 51st Academy to join the Young Academy movement. The 40 new members will officially take up their post on 25 April 2023 and membership runs for 4 years. Twenty-three members are women and seventeen are men.  

Strategic themes and objectives including the YAI work programme will be determined by the members based on areas that matter to them. Discussions on their key priorities will start at an induction event, which will be held at the Royal Irish Academy in April 2023.

The YAI will reach out to the wider research community and draw on the RIA’s unique ability to convene and nurture interdisciplinary platforms, giving a credible voice on issues that matter and being responsive to the needs and interests of ECRIs.

The YAI is supported by the Royal Irish Academy and Accenture.