The RSE Young Academy of Scotland (YAS) has announced the appointment of 48 new members. The group represents some of the nation’s most innovative young professionals from business, the public sector, the charity sector, the arts, and research and academia. They will join the academy’s existing members in realising its vision of achieving transformative societal change through citizenship, innovation, collaboration, evidence, and leadership.
Among the new members are six people who have been appointed through YAS’s At-Risk Academic / Refugee (ARAR) membership initiative. This encourages outstanding individuals who were refugees or sought asylum in Scotland to apply to YAS. In joining, these members regain some of the social and professional capital they lost during their displacement, and YAS benefits from ARAR members’ unique talents and experience.
Among the new YAS cohort from the civil service is Kirsty Forrester, a community learning and development manager at Dundee City Council. She works to reduce inequality through lifelong learning, community empowerment and public service reform.
Joining YAS from the third sector is Mar Sánchez Fernández, Research and Policy Lead for the Young Women’s Movement, who uses community-led, collaborative and arts-based approaches to co-design research with young women, aiming to eradicate violence against women and girls.
Mar said: “As a new member of YAS, I look forward to collaborating with other members to create opportunities for community-led research with real world impact. I’m also excited to champion the role of the third sector in shaping a more just and equitable Scotland”
The new cohort also includes many researchers with specialisms ranging from biomedical technology to minority language education. One of the cohort’s outstanding scientists is Rob Patchett a research ecologist investigating human-wildlife coexistence, biodiversity monitoring, and the impacts of land use policy on wildlife.
Rob said: “Joining YAS is a fantastic opportunity to connect with people from a wide range of disciplines who are working to make a difference in Scotland and beyond. Alongside my work on the National Geographic Society’s Living Pathways program, I’m looking forward to the new ideas and collaborations that YAS membership will bring, and I hope it will help me contribute to tackling the biodiversity crisis and improving human–wildlife coexistence.”
In addition to academic achievements, YAS selection committees placed significant emphasis on public outreach and collaboration across boundaries. Among the new members is Mona Bozdog, a practice-based researcher in games at University of Abertay, whose work explores the creative potential of combining of contemporary performance practices and video games, particularly preserving lived experiences in public spaces and heritage sites.
Caroline Müellenbroich, co-chair of YAS said: “I am delighted to welcome this incredible group of new members to The Young Academy of Scotland. Each of these individuals brings unique talents and expertise to YAS, and I look forward to seeing them combine their knowledge to create projects which address the many challenges facing Scotland and the world.
“We are particularly pleased to see our At-Risk Academic and Refugee membership programme continue to flourish, and we are proud to welcome inspiring leaders from Scotland’s asylum seeking-communities into our membership.”
YAS Alumni, YAS Advisory Group member, and Chief Executive of Scottish Futures Trust, Peter Reekie, said: “As a member of its first ever cohort, I’m delighted to welcome another outstanding group to YAS. Membership gave me a fantastic platform to build connections and share ideas with professionals and academics I’d never usually come across. I’m sure this new cohort will do the same and continue to develop projects that will bring real benefits to Scotland and the world.”
Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, President of the RSE said: “It is wonderful to see such a talented group of young professionals join the Young Academy of Scotland. By bringing together such a diverse, multidisciplinary group of leaders, YAS has great potential to address the many issues facing Scotland today.
“I look forward to seeing the fresh perspectives they bring, both to the work of the Young Academy, and to the Royal Society of Edinburgh.”
Complete list of new members:
Dr Mohamed Abdelrahim
Cara Postdoctoral fellow, University of Edinburgh
Mrs Amani Ahmed
PhD Researcher and Cara Fellow, University of Edinburgh
Mr Ahmad Ayyoub
Doctoral Researcher, University of Edinburgh
Dr Gilles Bailet
Lecturer in Space Technology, University of Glasgow
Dr Ingeborg Birnie
Senior Lecturer, University of Strathclyde
Mr Paul Bisland
Deputy Head, The Glasgow Academy
Dr Mona Bozdog
Reader in Games and Experience Design, Abertay University
Dr Graham Bruce
Senior Research Laboratory Manager, University of St Andrews
Dr Christian Calvillo Munoz
Senior Research Fellow, University of Strathclyde
Dr Daniela Castro-Camilo
Senior Lecturer in Statistics, University of Glasgow
Dr Chiara Cipollari
Research Impact Advisor, Glasgow Caledonian University
Dr Ruaridh Clark
Senior Research Fellow, University of Strathclyde
Dr Giulia De Togni
Chancellor’s Fellow, University of Edinburgh
Dr Grainne El Mountassir
Reader in Geotechnical Engineering and UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, University of Strathclyde
Mrs Kirsty Forrester
Community Learning and Development Manager – Adult Learning and Improvement, Dundee City Council
Dr Jaime Garcia Iglesias
Chancellor’s Fellow, University of Edinburgh
Miss Lauren Gibson
ECAT-i Clinical PhD Fellow, University of Edinburgh
Dr Emma Gordon
Lecturer in Applied Ethics, University of Glasgow
Dr Monika Gostic
Teaching Fellow, University of Aberdeen
Dr Amanda Holmes
GP Registrar, NHS Education for Scotland
Dr Kira Horiacheva
Honorary Fellow, University of Dundee
Miss Laura Houston
Assistant Director of Admissions, University of St Andrews
Dr Rees Hughes
Head of Research Impact, University of St Andrews
Ms Sabah Ibrahim
Research Assistant and Doctoral Candidate, Robert Gordon University
Dr Kirsten Jenkins
Senior Lecturer in Energy, Environment and Society, University of Edinburgh
Dr William Kavanagh
Lecturer in Games Technology & Mathematics, Abertay University
Dr Tracy Kirk
Child and Family Law Lecturer, University of Stirling
Dr Raneem Knaj
Research Fellow in Engineering, University of Glasgow
Mr James MacKessack-Leitch
Policy and Practice Lead, Scottish Land Commission
Dr Ashley Lewis-Cole
Learning & Teaching Strategy Manager – Curriculum for Life (C4L), University of Glasgow
Dr Karen Lythgoe
Independent Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh
Dr Joan Ma
Senior Lecturer, Queen Margaret University
Ms Carlene McAvoy
Head of Policy, The Royal Society For The Prevention Of Accidents
Dr Ian Molnar
Lecturer in Hydrogeology, University of Edinburgh
Dr Paul O’Mahoney
Senior Scientific Group Leader, UK Health Security Agency
Dr Andrew O’Malley
Senior Lecturer, University of St Andrews
Dr Samuel Owusu Achiaw
Research Associate, University of Glasgow
Dr Robert Patchett
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of St Andrews
Dr Mehdi Rizvi
Assistant Professor, Heriot-Watt University
Dr Brianna Robertson-Kirkland
Associate Head of BMus, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Dr Sarah Rugheimer
Chancellor’s Fellow, Institute for Astronomy, Royal Observatory
Dr Joanna Sadler
Chancellor’s Fellow and Senior Lecturer, University of Edinburgh
Dr Mar Sánchez Fernández
Research and Policy Lead, YWCA Scotland – The Young Women’s Movement
Dr Fraser Scott
Reader in Drug Discovery and STEM Education, University of Strathclyde
Mr Bill Surradge
Laboratory Technician in Biomedical Science, Edinburgh Napier University
Dr Andrea Tonner
Senior Lecturer, University of Strathclyde
Dr Dan Warrender
Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing, Abertay University
Miss Faye Watson
Public & Community Engagement Consultant
