On the 14th of March, from 15.00-17.00 (CET) the Young Academy of Europe and Finnish Academy of Science and Letters are co-organising a seminar on the roles young scientists can play in European science advice. 

(European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, How the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors works, Publications Office, 2021)

Young academies across Europe are attracting members who are increasingly interested in science-for-policy. But many young scientists are unsure about how science is marshalled for policy at the Europe level – for example via the European Science Advice Mechanism (SAM) and the Science Advice for Policy by European Academies (SAPEA) – and how they can become involved. With the Young Academies Science Advice Structure (YASAS) hopefully becoming an official partner of the new SAPEA+ project, now is an important moment for young scientists to explore the formal, and less formal, avenues for getting involved in science advice.

This seminar provides a space for Young Academy members across Europe to learn about and analyse the workings of the SAM, SAPEA and YASAS structures of science advice, and think about how they can contribute to science advice within these structures or otherwise.

The seminar goes beyond giving participants a ‘script’ for fitting within science advice structures. It enables participants to be part of questioning why these structures are as they are, unpack the complexity and non-linearity of science-for-policy in practice, and broaden their perspectives on scientific impact and how science supports societal decision-making.

The seminar will be divided into three parts: 

1. an introduction to SAM, SAPEA and YASAS; 
2. an interactive analysis of the SAM model by a panel of scientists and policy-makers who are actively working within this structure, including Jacek Kolanowski, Moniek Tromp, and Marie Jose van Tol, Pearl Dystra and Toby Wardman; and 
3. a discussion on the roles of scientists in science advice, with presentations from Tommi Himberg and Eeva Furman, who are engaging with science-for-policy in various ways.

The seminar will be hosted on Zoom, and all registered participants will receive a Zoom link on the day of the seminar. You can register here:

We look forward to seeing you there!